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Basilica di San Marco - Campanile

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Mary Porcher
Mary Porcher
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Mosaics and the Museum

  • July 12, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by sararevell from London, United Kingdom
Mosaics and the Museum

No visit to Venice would be complete without a peak inside its crown jewel, the Basilica di San Marco. Its many golden spires, arches, columns and splendid mosaics dominate the eastern side of the Piazza San Marco by day. By night it sits in its corner looking a little sinister, faintly illuminated by the rows of lights along the Sestiere San Marco.

Obviously the Basilica is a busy place and while you have to resign yourself to some crowd jostling the lines tend to move at an even pace. For any adult with a camera, being inside St. Mark’s is akin to a kid in a candy shop. Photo opportunities are infinite and everyone, myself included, ignores the ‘no photos’ signs, which are dotted around inside. Staff positioned along the way remind people of the rule but it’s a hard one to enforce, especially with today’s digital technology making it fairly easy to be a surreptitious snapper. The heart of the Basilica’s ceiling is almost entirely covered with gold mosaic frescoes (some 8000m2) so if that isn’t reason enough to turn you into a rule breaker I don’t know what is. It’s little wonder that it earned the nickname Chiesa d’Oro (Church of gold) in the 11th century.

The first St Mark's was a temporary structure built in 828 and the story goes that Venetian merchants stole the relics of St. Mark from Alexandria. The church was rebuilt in 978 and again in 1063 in a form closer to the present day basilica. Previously the private chapel of the doge (ruler) of Venice, it became a Cathedral in 1807, ten years after the fall of the Venetian Republic.

After a cursory walk around the ground floor, we went up to the museum, which is a 4 euro entry fee and allows access to the upper outside gallery with fantastic views over the piazza. It also gives you a closer look at the stunning detail of the stonework and mosaic frescos within the exterior arches.

The museum sits above the north-west atrium and houses various artifacts, including the original Horses of St. Mark, which were installed in about 1243. The horses outside are replicas and replaced the originals in the 1990s. The labyrinthine museum also displays manuscripts and ancient mosaics. At the end of the exhibition is a hall of exquisite Persian carpets, produced in Isfahan in the sixteenth century. They were offered as gifts to European rulers and given the general grandeur of St. Mark’s, you would think that the curators would have seen fit to display them in a more attractive manner.

The museum and Basilica are open daily from 9.45am-5.00pm (4.45pm for the museum), except for Sundays and holidays when the Basilica opens from 2pm-4pm. We didn’t visit the treasury or the pala d’oro but they’re open for an additional fee. It’s probably worth the time and money visiting all four but I think we felt that we had already got our moneys worth in the Basilica and museum.

www.basilicasanmarco.it

From journal Venice: Prosecco, Gelato and la Giudecca

Basilica Di San Marco

  • March 9, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by caromeow from Prague, Czech Republic
Basilica Di San Marco

The basicila is the main attraction in Venice and boasts some amazing mosaics. For the best view of the mosaics, be sure to hit the Galleria. Try to go really early to avoid crowds, though I'm not sure it's possible to avoid the large groups of loud school children and teens.

It's 2€ to visit the treasury (to your right as you enter the church). Although there's not much information about them, there are interesting gold pieces and relics from the Fourth Crusade.

For another 1,50€ you can go up to the alter of the basilica, where the tomb of St. Mark lies.

Everything in the basilica is much more interesting if you have a good guidebook to explain the history behind it all.

Please note that the dress code requires shoulders and knees to be covered.

From journal Venezia! Not just for Lovers

Basilica di San Marco

  • August 3, 2004
  • Rated 2 of 5 by ggcahill from Mont Albert North, undefined, Australia
Basilica di San Marco

Another church! This time the resting place of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice. Apparently the Venetians needed something to draw in the tourists, so they took the body of St. Mark. (Well, that's what our guide said!)

Quite apart from the historical connection to St. Mark, what does this church have to distinguish itself from other churches in Europe? Golden mosaics and stunning architecture. The mosaics really were impressive, but the tour guide was just a little quick.

From journal Venice - very nice!

Editor Pick

Basilica di San Marco

  • May 23, 2004
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ShannonBrooke from Somerville, Massachusetts
Basilica di San Marco

Basilica di San Marco is free to enter, but it contains several small museums that do cost money. The nave is beautiful, but it is not the main reason to enter. Nor, I'm afraid, is the treasury. If you're me, then your girlfriend is talking loudly about how this artifact and that were looted from Constantinople, and as an avid Byzantinist, she is still holding a grudge. The treasury also costs a few Euros to enter.

So why wait in the long line, you ask? It is so that you can climb the narrow staircase to the balconies. Here there are several informative exhibits, the original four horses (also stolen from Constantinople!), and the exit to the balcony overlooking Piazza San Marco. Step aside, take a deep breath, and soak in the gorgeous view! You can hang out up here for as long as you like, and it's very romantic! I spotted many couples kissing passionately in broad daylight. We snuck around to the side to sneak a quiet kiss, not being exhibitionists.

Note: Filming and photography are prohibited. Also, visitors are required to dress respectfully and talk quietly while within this place of worship.

Free guided tours are offered throughout the day.

From journal The Other Side of Venice

Editor Pick

Basilica di San Marco

  • June 5, 2003
  • Rated 5 of 5 by raycarstairs from Glasgow, Scotland
Basilica di San Marco

The best way to arrive in San Marco is by boat. As you approach the piazza on the vaporetta, nothing prepares you for the spectacle - the Bascilica and Palazzo Ducale totally dominate the view.

If your hotel is on Venice island, try to get round to San Marco around 8am when the square is empty. The first crowds start to arrive around 9 - 9:30am and the hustle and bustle can detract a little from the main prize.

Whatever your religious persuasion, it's worth spending an hour or so in St Mark's. If you don't have time, make sure you have a good wander around outside. The Basilica's architecture is very interesting if a little confusing. It's intriuge lies in the various additions and whims of successive architects and doges over the centuries.

If you want to get an arial perspective of the Basilica, trek (or take the lift) up the bell tower

From journal Venetian Easter Break

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