During the Medieval period, the Italian state of Venice grew into one of the most powerful empires in the Mediterranean. Its merchants, most famously Marco Polo, were some of the most important importers of exotic goods into Europe via their trade connections through the Black Sea and along the Silk Road. The city itself was among the most populous in Europe from the 12th to 16th centuries, its territories in the Italian mainland (terraferma) grew in the early 1400s, as well as its control over much of the Adriatic coast in the Balkans. By the mid-16th century, the population of the Venetian Republic was roughly 2.3 million people, at a time when Europe's population was around 70 million. 1.7 million of this population was concentrated in northeast Italy, while the islands of Crete and Cyprus were the most populous overseas territories.

The Italian city of Venice was one of the largest cities in medieval and Renaissance era Europe. It was the center of the Republic of Venice, a maritime empire in the Mediterranean, and had one of Europe's largest ports for exotic goods (particularly from Asia), or luxury goods such as glassware. Impact of plague While its population was relatively small by modern standards, it is believed that Venice was among the five most populous cities in Western Europe in the given years between 1050 and 1650. The city's population did fluctuate over time due to devastating pandemics, and it is believed that Venice was one of the main points of entry for the Black Death in Europe. Venice was one of the hardest-hit cities during the Black Death; estimates fluctuate greatly across sources, but it is believed that the city lost around 40 percent of its population during the initial outbreak in the 1340s. Decline Furthermore, Venice lost roughly a third of its population during further plague pandemics (both introduced via war) in the 1570s and 1630s. Because of this, the population was kept fairly consistent across the given years between 1600 and 1800. The 18th century also saw the decline of the Venetian Empire, as other states gained power and influence in the Mediterranean. Venice also lost its importance as the entry point of exotic goods into Europe, as other European powers had already established their own maritime empires and trade routes across the globe. Eventually, the crumbling Venetian Empire fell to Napoleon in 1796, and its overseas territories were gradually taken by or split among various other powers. While the empire fell, the city itself continued to be a center for art and culture in Europe, and it has maintained this status until today. In 2021, Venice had a population of more than 250,000 people.