Piazza San Marco and other Venice, Italy Things to Do Tips

Surrounded by the city's foremost monuments, Piazza San Marco is the only square in Venice grand enough to be named a "piazza," anything less is simply called a campo. It is a large L-shaped square, whose main open space facing la Basilica di San Marco and enclosed by le Procuratie, is referred to as la Piazza, while the smaller area reaching the canal, between Palazzo Ducale and Biblioteca Marciana, is known as "la Piazzetta". Towering above the square is Saint Mark's Bell Tower (il Campanile di San Marco). During the city's zenith, Piazza San Marco was its political and religious heart, from which its glorious history was determined. Nowadays, some of its historic cafés offer outdoor tables for visitors to sip coffee or a drink while marvelling at the monumental architecture. It is essential for anyone touring Venice for the first time to make Piazza San Marco the first stop.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

Venice's most magnificent edifice, la Basilica di San Marco is a fairy-tale like monument. Its unique architectural style, exhibiting undeniable Eastern influences, is a testament to the strong relationship between Venice and both the Byzantine Empire and the Near East alike. The cathedral church of Venice traces its roots to the 9th century when an earlier small chapel was built to house the relics of San Marco (Saint Mark). According to legend, Venetian merchants had "rescued" (i.e., stole) his relics from Saint Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria, Egypt in 828 AD, and wrapped them in pork to evade Moslem guards (the smuggling is recorded in a mosaic on the façade - see the travelogue for a photo). When his relics arrived in Venice, Saint Mark replaced Saint Theodore as the patron saint of the city and the Basilica was born. Construction of the existing structure commenced in the 11th century, but it took centuries of enrichments and expansions, tapping into the wealth of the Republic, to bring it to its current flamboyant form. Through trade, Crusader invasions and other contacts with the eastern Mediterranean, Venetian ships brought back both architectural ideas and ancient materials and treasures to embellish the Basilica. The treasures, often older than Venice itself were incorporated into the edifice. The result was this fantastic Basilica, with onion domes and mosaic decorations, reminiscent of Byzantine churches, mixed with Venetian Gothic details, an architectural jewel unlike any cathedral in the Christian world. For more photos, please check out the travelogue Basilica di San Marco.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

Neither words nor photos could prepare the first time visitor for the astonishing interior of la Basilica di San Marco. The golden mosaics that cover the walls, ceilings and domes of the Basilica in its entirety have earned it the nickname "la Chiesa d'Oro" (Church of Gold), and together with the floor mosaics, which imitate the patterns of an oriental rug, they echo strong Byzantine architectural influences. Furthermore, the interior follows a Greek cross plan with a large central dome surrounded by four domes, one for each arm of the cross. Many ancient treasures, some older than the Basilica, are on display within. First there is la Quadriga, known as the Horses of Saint Mark's, which once crowned the façade but were brought in for protection and replaced with replicas. The four bronze horses, which date from the 2nd century AD, were looted from Constantinople during its sacking by the Crusaders. Other important treasures include: la Pala d'Oro, the richly decorated 12th century golden altarpiece of Venetian and Byzantine workmanship; and il Tesoro, the Treasury, and the 10th century icon, la Madonna di Nicopeia, also looted from Constantinople. Some of these aforementioned objects are on display at the Museum of Saint Mark's (Museo Marciano), located on the upper floor of the Basilica. The museum also provides access to la Loggia dei Cavalli, a veranda on the façade that offers exceptional views over Piazza San Marco and la Piazzetta - a definite must for anyone visiting the Basilica.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

Towering nearly 100 metres above Piazza San Marco, il Campanile di San Marco was originally built in the 10th century. It had the triple function of acting as the bell tower of the Basilica, as a defensive watchtower, and as a lighthouse for navigating ships. Il Campanile received its present look in the 16th century after a damaging earthquake necessitated restoration and renovation, only its foundation gave way in 1902 causing the entire tower to collapse. It had become such an important symbol of the city that funds poured in for its reconstruction. It was rebuilt in 1912 identically to its predecessor, about a millennia after it was first built! The only difference was that the new tower was equipped with a lift, which now shuttles visitors up for panoramic views of Venice and its lagoon.

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Address: Piazza San Marco

The seat of the government and the Doge's residence during the history of the Republic of Venice, il Palazzo Ducale is a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The existing structure was begun in the 12th century, built as a replacement to a 9th century castle that was destroyed in a fire, but it took centuries of expansions and renovations to achieve this unique style that is definitively Venetian, yet somehow, with its geometric patterns, echoes Oriental/Islamic influences. The façade, made from pink marble and white Istrian stone, resting on the length of the gotico fiorito veranda and arcaded portico, seems somehow to defy gravity. Over the years, each of Venice's most talented artist and architects has worked on decorating or enlarging the palazzo, which was intended both to impress and intimidate visitors. Nowadays, the Doge's Palace is open as a museum, which not only boasts some of the world's most impressive ceiling and wall paintings, but also takes the visitor across the Bridge of Sighs and into the ruthless underworld of Venetian prisons.

For more photos of this architectural fantasy, check out the travelogue: "il Palazzo Ducale.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

A monumental gateway, la Porta della Carta provided the main access into Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace). The gotico fiorito masterpiece, designed by Bartolomeo Bon and his son Giovanni, is wedged between the palace and the Basilica di San Marco. It was completed in 1442 and was once coloured and gilded. It contains superb Gothic details and fine sculptures of various symbols including the Lion of Saint Mark. The lion sculpture, however, is an exact 19th century replica of the original, which had been destroyed during the Napoleonic invasion. The gateway leads into the courtyard of Palazzo Ducale and up the famous stairway, la Scala dei Giganti.

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Address: Palazzo Ducale, Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

Part of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, the Palazzo Ducale is a museum open to visitors. A tour of the Palazzo is essential for understanding the history of Venice, its art, and how the Republic functioned. The interior of the palazzo is made up of a spacious courtyard, il Cortile, surrounded by various wings of the palace, which contained the Doge's residence, the seat of the government, it courtrooms, and the infamous prisons, all of which were expanded and renovated over the centuries, in various architectural styles. The most important items to be admired are: 1- il Cortile, the courtyard, its Renaissance east façade, and its 17th century white marble north façade (see photo); 2- la Scala dei Giganti, the majestic 15th century staircase, designed by Antonio Rizzo and topped by two giant statues of Mars and Neptune by Jacopo Sansovino (see attached photo); 3- la Scala d'Oro, the "stairway of gold" and its incredibly ornate ceiling (see photo); 4- The chambers of the Palazzo, in particular, la Sala del Maggior Consiglio, which contains the world's largest painting, "Paradise" by Tintoretto. Note that photography within the palazzo is strictly forbidden, so I do not have any photos of the actual interior to share.

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Address: Piazza San Marco

One of Venice's most famous bridges, il Ponte dei Sospiri, known in English as the Bridge of Sighs, connects the Palazzo Ducale with the Prigione Nuove, i.e. the new prisons of the Doge's Palace. Its name derived from supposed sighs of the criminals who traversed the bridge on their way to the ruthless prisons across the canal. The bridge was built in the 17th century using Istrian stone, carved in a Baroque style. While both its architecture and its purpose are unique in Venice, I still found the Bridge of Sighs to be a bit of a disappointment, but try not to be swayed by my opinion.

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Address: Ponte dei Sospiri - SAN MARCO

Three adjacent buildings tracing similar architectural lines, le Procuratie delineate Piazza San Marco on three sides. On the northern side of the Piazza is the oldest and largest, referred to as le Procuratie Vecchie (i.e. "old"), which served as the seat of Venice's officials. It was originally erected in the 12th century, but due to a fire, was rebuilt in 1538 following the original Veneto-Byzantine style. Architects such as Jacopo Sansovino and Bartolomeo Bon are known to have worked on the building, which extends the length of 152 metres, or 50 arches in its arcaded portico. On the south side is the building known as le Procuratie Nuove (i.e. "new"), completed in 1640 and designed in a more Neoclassical style by Vincenzo Scamozzi and Baldassare Longhena to replace the older Procuratie. In between their western ends once stood an ancient church and smaller buildings which were destroyed by Napoleon to make way for the construction of the third wing. Known as l'Ala Napoleonica, it was completed in 1814 in a more Baroque style and connected the old and new Procuratie. Nowadays, the three edifices have multiple functions, including housing a museum, il Museo Correr. Within the porticoes of the three buildings were some of Venice's fabled historic cafés, such as Caffè Florian.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO

Designed by the architect Mauro Codussi in 1496, la Torre dell'Orologio (St Mark's Clocktower) is his most famous work. The structure was initially designed as a tower, but soon after its construction, two side wings were added. The elaborate clock tells the time along with the zodiac signs and the phases of the moon. Above the clock is a statue of the Virgin and above it is the Lion of Saint Mark against a starlit night blue sky. The tower is crowned by a large bronze bell and two figures known as i Mori di Venezia (the Moors of Venice) who ring the bell every hour. La Torre dell'Orologio is located on Piazza San Marco, opposite il Campanile. On my first visit to Venice in Nov 05, the tower was covered in scaffolding for an extensive restoration. The work was completed in 2007.

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Address: Piazza San Marco - SAN MARCO