She was armed with a main battery of eighteen 254 mm (10 in) guns in a central armored casemate.

Her lengthy construction time, a result of her re-design from a broadside ironclad, quickly rendered her obsolescent compared to the new turret ships that began to enter service in the 1880s.

The ship was protected by iron belt armor that was 150 mm (5.9 in) thick and extended for the entire length of the hull at the waterline.

[1] Venezia's keel was laid down at the Cantiere della Foce shipyard in Genoa in February 1863, and her completed hull was launched on 21 January 1869.

[2] In addition, the Italian naval budget was drastically reduced following the defeat at Lissa in 1866, which reflected a stark decrease in the government's confidence in the fleet.

[3][4] The ship's first major activity came soon after commissioning, serving as the flagship of Rear Admiral de Monale.