---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Venice is a place where the past is still…"
description: "\"Venice is a place where the past is still hanging around, waiting for an appointment with the future; but the future hasn't shown up. In the meantime i..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/724/jack-smith-34475_appointments_venice-is-a-place-where-the-past-is-stil_2170523.jpg"
---

#  Venice is a place where the past is still hanging around…

![“Venice is a place where the past is still hanging around, waiting for an appointment with the future; but the future hasn't shown up. In the meantime it is a kind of no man's land, given up by default and occupied by irregulars and their dogs.” quote by Jack Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/724/jack-smith-34475_appointments_venice-is-a-place-where-the-past-is-stil_2170523.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/724/jack-smith-34475_appointments_venice-is-a-place-where-the-past-is-stil_2170523.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/724/jack-smith-34475_appointments_venice-is-a-place-where-the-past-is-stil_2170523.jpg)

> “Venice is a place where the past is still hanging around, waiting for an appointment with the future; but the future hasn't shown up. In the meantime it is a kind of no man's land, given up by default and occupied by irregulars and their dogs.”

[Jack Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The city feels stuck between history and an uncertain future, becoming a neglected space filled with marginal groups.

**In simple terms:** Venice is caught between past and absent future, turning into a forgotten zone.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address urban neglect.

Themes

urban decay history future marginalization identity

Mood

melancholic reflective hopeful

Type

observational critical inspirational

When to use this quote

- tourism planning
- heritage preservation
- social services
- community integration

Key Concepts

urban sociology temporal disjunction spatial liminality

Questions to Reflect On

- How can cities balance heritage with modern needs?
- What role should marginalized communities play in urban renewal?

A Different Perspective

Future uncertainty may be overstated; some residents adapt creatively.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dog/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Venice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venice/)

## Related quotes

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> [“The past is a good place for the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/the-past-is-a-good-place-for-the-past/)

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> [“He had put so much space behind him that he had finally reached that place at which the past was indeed another country, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-krantz/he-had-put-so-much-space-behind-him-that-he-had-finally-reached-that/)

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> [“I'm standing in a timeless place, between a past that has abandoned me and a future that scares me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-m-rodriguez/i-m-standing-in-a-timeless-place-between-a-past-that-has-abandoned-me/)

Alicia M. Rodriguez

> [It is clear that when you write a story that takes place in the past, you try to show what really happened in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/it-is-clear-that-when-you-write-a-story-that-takes-place-in-the-past/)

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## More by Jack Smith

> [I'd rather be caught holding up a bank than stealing so much as a two-word phrase from another writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-smith/i-d-rather-be-caught-holding-up-a-bank-than-stealing-so-much-as-a-two/)

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> [When someone has the wit to coin a useful phrase, it ought to be acclaimed and broadcast or it will perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-smith/when-someone-has-the-wit-to-coin-a-useful-phrase-it-ought-to-be/)

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> [“Spend all your kisses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-smith/spend-all-your-kisses/)

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[Explore all 14 Jack Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-smith/)

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Browse all 203 Appointments quotes

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