This paper explores the intertwining of local history and Turkology in the Italian context, particularly focusing on the city of Venice. Over the course of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a considerable body of literature emerges, examining the Venetian‑Ottoman relations within the broader context of Italian unification and the challenges faced by the former Republic. The research systematically reconstructs this erudite production, shedding light on the conflict‑centric literature and subtler currents that examine diplomatic conditions and Ottoman customs or Ottoman presence in Venice. The paper also examines the nineteenth‑century debate surrounding Venice’s role in the 1480 Ottoman invasion of Otranto, in order to uncover the intricate relationship between local history and Orientalism. It discusses the contributions of Italian Turkologists, including Bonelli, Rossi, and Bombaci, and their connection to Venice, highlighting the significance of the Ottoman archival materials stored in the city. This highlights the distinctiveness of Italian Turkology as a domestic knowledge.