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Piazza San Marco

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kimca
kimca
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

St Mark's Square

  • October 2, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Joy S from Manchester, United Kingdom
St Mark's Square

This is the heart of Venice and one of the world's most beautiful public squares. It is full of cafes, shops, tourists and pigeons. Since the founding of the Doge's (ducal leader's) house, the Church of St Mark and the bell tower (Campanile) have been landmarks of the square.

The bell tower is the tallest structure on the Venice skyline. It is a 20th century replica of the 8th century original, which collapsed without warning in 1902. You get a bird's eye view of Venice and the square below from the top. It is a great way to get a feel for the shape of the city and front this vantage point there are rooftops galore, but the network of canals is not visible.

The Basilica is the final resting place of St Mark. Venice has 2 patron saints - St Teodoro and St Mark. St Teodoro was there first, but in the 9th century two Venetian merchants stole St Mark's body from Alexandria. St Mark found a permanent resting place in the church on this site.

The church is Byzantine and one of the world's most embellished and distinctive Roman Catholic churches. The sarcophagus of St Mark sits beneath 4 columns in the presbytery. In the shadows of the Basilica, look out for exquisite mosiacs adorned with gold and the altar panel of the Archangel Michael, decorated with garnets, rubies, pearls and sapphires. The floor is also incredible - geometric patterns and exuberant mosiacs.

The terrace area is a good place to visit - it costs 4 Euros to go up there, but you get a lovely view of the square down below and can get close to the 4 bronze horses of St Mark. There is also a little museum with numerous interesting artefacts.

Get to the Basilica early or the queues will be horrendous - whatever the time of year. Also be aware on Sundays you can only enter the church between 2 and 5pm. Do not aim to see everything, just try and get a feel for the oriental extravagance of the place.

The Doge's Palace was once the centre of government. Here dukes ruled for 1,000 years. Each duke was elected for life. The structure is pink and white marble - the work of many architects over the centuries. Inside it is filled with paintings by the greatest Venetian artists. The Scala d'Oro is a grand staircase with frescoes embellished with real gold. The armoury is filled with antique weapons. As you pass through the Scala del Senato, look up at the ceiling for the Triumph of Venice - all prancing horses and puffy clouds. The Bridge of Sighs links the palace with the Palazzo delle Prigoni where prisoners were held after being judged.

We just had a look into the Caffe Florian - the oldest cafe in Italy founded in 1720. It has red velvet banquettes, gilded walls and painted ceilings. You can sit inside or out, but everything costs a fortune!

Our son liked looking out for the lions all around the square. There are lions everywhere - on the clock tower, the entrance to the Doge's Palace, the bronze gate in front of the Campanile, on the Basilica and more.

We also enjoyed going to St Marks several times at different times of the day. In the morning early, you feel as if you have it all to yourself; in the afternoon there is the spectacle of the crowds but best of all after dark it is intensely romantic with its lights and wonderful atmosphere.

After exploring St Marks Square, it is nice to have a stroll down the Riva degli Schiavoni. Our hotel was on this street, but it is a good place to have a wander. The pavement is wide, bustling and busy and it is a great place to watch the boats go by - large car ferries, vaporetti, water taxis, tugs, gondolas, huge cruise ships and pleasure motor boats. The area close to St Marks Square is busy and has lots of souvenir sellers, but if you carry on in the opposite direction to St Marks, it gradually becomes almost empty and is a nice place to sit and look back at the skyline of this fabulous city.

Get to the Basilica early or the queues will be horrendous - whatever the time of year. Also be aware on Sundays you can only go into the church between 2 and 5pm. Do not aim to see everything - we thought it was enough to get a feel for the oriental extravagance of the place.

From journal 3 Nights in Venice

Editor Pick

Piazza San Marco

  • July 14, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Muted Prophet from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Piazza San Marco

Your experience in Venice is not truly complete without a visit to Piazza San Marco. For lovers of architecture, culture, history, water, fine dining, and endless shopping opportunities.

Piazza San Marco is a short 15-minute walk from the train station. But make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes as there are many bridges to cross. Even without a map, you can easily find this area - just follow the tourists. Or if that doesn't work for you, simply walk and ask the Venetians. Once you arrive to a certain point, there are signs and arrows providing you directions.

Piazza San Marco is a HUGE open space of glorious architecture - too overwhelmingly beautiful to describe in mere words (check out my photos). On the way to the Piazza, you will pass by many fine restaurants, concert halls, shops, and pubs.

Piazza San Marco is one of the main places to catch a gondola ride through the city and also to take public transportation to the many islands (highly recommend Lido). Gondola rides can be quite costly (we paid 100 euros for 1-hour ride at night), but if you speak a bit of Italian perhaps you can score a better deal. Our gondolier was very charming, spoke good English and French, and even serenaded us!

On your gondola ride, you will notice the water levels have been steadily creeping upwards through the years necessitating many home owners, restaurants, and hotels to move their first floors up to the second floors. Many residences can only be reached by water!

We went on a night when the waters were particularly choppy, but it made the experience all the more exciting. Our gondolier was incredibly nimble and we never once feared for our safety.

During the flooding season, tables are set up in the Piazza so that you can walk from one spot to another. We went in July and experienced only mild flooding, no issues though.

I have heard many tourists complain about the heat and the smell from the canals. Honestly, I did not notice either and we went when it was supposed to be at its height.

At night, you can listen to the musical entertainment while dining (for a small charge).

There are plenty of polizia around, so all is safe.

From journal Mamma Mia! - It's Venice!

Editor Pick

Piazza San Marco

  • February 24, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Liam Hetherington from Manchester, United Kingdom
Piazza San Marco

Truly the heart of Venice is the Piazza San Marco, St Mark's Square. The city's greatest church—the Basilica of St Mark—and the Palace of the Doges is situated around the square and its smaller offshoot, the Piazzetta. Napoleon himself described the square as "The finest drawing room in Europe".

This statement should not be seen as an uncritical one however—it describes the lethargy and irrelevance that Venice had drifted into by the turn of the 19th century. A place to relax, yes, to chat and plan, yes; not a place for action. This can be seen today in the patrons supping at their over-priced coffees in the Caffes Florian, Quadri, and Lavena; the tourists slowly craning their necks up at the mosaics of the basilica, at the campanile, and trying to glimpse the 'Moors' atop the Torre dell'Orologio; and the languid couples strolling through at dusk.

Apart from the basilica and Palazzo Ducale (reviewed separately) there are other things to see. For free there is the stroll down the Piazzetta to the Molo to see the patron saints of Venice atop the twin granite columns—the winged lion of St Mark, and the city's original patron, St Theodore. Turning left down the waterfront takes you past the entrance to the Doge's Palace, to a bridge, from where you can get your compulsory photo of the Ponte dei Sospiri—the Bridge of Sighs.

Back in the Piazza, at 99m the Campanile is the tallest structure in the city. This particular version only actually dates from 1912—the original suddenly collapsed in 1902. Sixty cents allows you to ascend. The view from here has been enjoyed by many, including Galileo, Goethe, and Emperor Frederick III, who refused to dismount and instead rode his horse up to the top. For my money however a better view can be achieved by taking the vaporetto across to San Giorgio Maggiore and climbing the campanile there.

To the north of the square is the Clock Tower, or Torre dell'Orologio. You cannot visit it, and the best view comes from the front balcony of the basilica. From here you can see the two bronze statues that strike the hour, colloquially known as 'The Moors' due to the dark patina of the metal.

Surrounding the square we find the Procuratie. Essentially rather grand offices for the administration of the city when they were completed by Sansovino in the 16th century, they were converted into a palace by Napoleon's stepson upon his appointment as Viceroy of Italy, a redesign that involved tearing down Sansovino's church of San Geminiano at the square's western end and building a ballroom in its place. Nowadays, they are occupied by the Museo Correr and Museo Archeologico. Entry to these museums and the Palazzo Ducale is with the Musei di Piazza San Marco card (€11; half price for EU citizens under 30 or over 65) or the Venice Card (see Overview for details).

From journal We Open In Venice...

Piazza San Marco

  • February 13, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by VA_traveler from Dumfries, Virginia
Piazza San Marco

There are a few sights that you have to see in your life; a few things you must experience. Venice’s Piazza San Marco is one of these. Napoleon was not wrong when he called this square Europe’s most beautiful drawing room.

Visit during the day to experience the crowds of people and the famous flocks of pigeons. See the beautiful Torre dell’Orologio, with its blue face and zodiac signs. Visit at night and enjoy an espresso at Cafe Florian, the oldest coffee house in Europe. Kiss your lover while couples nearby dance to the music of the various cafe orchestras.

Beyond the beauty of the square itself, three of Venice’s significant tourist stops cluster around the Piazza San Marco: The Duomo San Marco, the Doge’s Palace, and the Campinile.

Ascending the square's Campinile will afford will afford you a bird's eye view of the red rooftops of La Serinissima, the serene one. Claim a spot at one of the windows on the first Sunday in September and watch the start of the historic regatta on the grand canal.

Descend and join the tourists in St Mark’s basilica. The mosaics of tiny gold squares are incredible, and the treasury of relics interesting.

The Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s palace) was the seat of secular power in Venice, where each elected leader of the city state lived and ruled. Tour the elaborate but empty residential portion, then cross the Ponte di Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs) and descend into the prisons before returning to the square.

From journal All Over Italy: Stop 1, Venice

Piazza San Marco

  • September 13, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by amber02 from chicago, Illinois
This is probably the most famous square in the entire city. When you visit this square, as you stand at one end of the square, it will seem as if the square is so vast. The shape and the formation of the square make it seem vast and really bigger than meets the eye. It is really a lot of fun to visit this square. As you walk through the square, you can take in the great smells coming from the various little cafes and eateries. Plus, you can enjoy the soothing Italian music playing from the shops. It is definitely a fun place to go and walk around. Browse a little, shop a little, explore a little, and then don't forget to have a bite to eat here because this square has a lot of amazing options!

From journal Vacation in Venice

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