Arising from a malaria-ridden swamp, Venice came to enjoy all the glory of a royal capital - without a resident monarchy. And one man, tortured and blinded by his enemies, would lead the city to a revenge so terrible it would go down in history as one of the worst crimes ever.

The golden age of architecture arrived, and stone and marble palaces replaced wooden houses as artists like Titian and Palladio transformed the look and reputation of Venice. But a calamity lurked just around the corner - plague.

By the 18th century, there were two things on Venice's mind - art and sex. Casanova's A History of My Life detailed his erotic exploits, making him a celebrity overnight. And as sex tourists began using art as an excuse to visit Venice, Canaletto created views of the city that became the luxury postcards of the day. The climax of this pleasure seeking was the Carnival masked ball, when all barriers of class and wealth were broken down. But even as hedonism thrived, disaster was imminent.