Saint Mark's Basilica Reviews (Venice, Italy)

The heady heights of St. Marks tower.

Gravesend, United Kingdom

September 20, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo Campanile di San Marco. Venice.The campanile di San Marco can be found in St. Marks Square Venice towering high above the square at a height of 323 feet. It is the tallest building in Venice and whether you arrive by land, sea or air it is the ...Read more

From journal The most beautiful city in the world.

Absolutely stunning St. Marks Basilica.

by garymarsh6

Gravesend, United Kingdom

September 20, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo Basilica di San Marco Venice.Of all the cathedrals, churches, mosques and temples I have ever visited I think the Basilica of St. Marks is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever experienced. It is so magnificent, ornate and full of detail it ...Read more Basilica di San Marco Venice.

Of all the cathedrals, churches, mosques and temples I have ever visited I think the Basilica of St. Marks is perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever experienced. It is so magnificent, ornate and full of detail it would take several visits to truly appreciate its full beauty as it is so full of art and incredible workmanship no one could truly take in its beauty in one visit. This Byzantine Cathedral Church of Venice obtained most of its artefacts and beautiful relics from the crusades when Venice was a super maritime power being plundered from other great cities and countries around the world and brought back to Venice and installed in the Basilica.

The history of St. Marks.
Originally the Basilica was built as a private chapel to the adjoining Doges palace. In 828AD two merchants are supposedly to have smuggled the body of St. Mark out of Alexandria by hiding it under pieces of pork meat which horrified the Muslim guards who reeled away from it. The body was brought back to Venice and placed inside a small temporary chapel inside the palace. The original chapel of St. Marks burned down during a rebellion against the Doge and a grander church was built to house the body of St. Mark and it is this church that we see today being consecrated in 1071. It was used as the Doges chapel right up to 1807 when it finally became a cathedral.
Over the years and particularly in the 1400’s it was added to and adorned with frescos and gold mosaics and practically the whole of the inside of the cathedral is adorned with gold, brass and semi-precious and precious stones. The cathedral was built in the style of a Greek cross and is said to consist of three parts. The frontage, the main church inside and the upper levels. Likewise the front of the cathedral consists of three parts the lower level the upper level and the domes. The internal part of the cathedral is based on the Hagia Sofia of Istanbul.
The front of the Cathedral.
The front of the Cathedral has five arched doorways leading into a narthex which is an ante room surrounding the entrance around the front and to the left side of this great Church. The ceilings here depict mainly Old Testament scenes. Above the arched doorways are scenes one of which depicts the transportation of St. Marks Body. Most of the exterior and especially that of the front and sides are covered with marble and precious stone. If you go to the rear of the Basilica you can see the unadulterated exterior of what the building originally looked like before its adornment as the back is just plain brickwork albeit very beautiful in its own right.
There is quite a lot to take notice of on the outside but it is less ostentatious than what awaits you inside. The sight is just so overwhelming as the whole interior appears to be covered in gold interspersed with scenes from the New Testament not only on the walls but also inside the great domes and copulas. It is an explosion of gold and relics and it is just too overwhelming to take in.
The inside.
The Basilica is like an explosion of gold far too much to truly appreciate in one visit as there is so much of it to take in. It would need several visits to truly appreciate more individual parts and pieces of the Basilica. There are several side chapels leading off from the main body of the Basilica and altar screens that separate the church and congregation and the altars. You will also find the entrance to the crypt and treasury which houses some of the plundered relics although time did not permit us to go into the treasury for which a small entrance fee is paid.
The upper level.
For an additional fee you can go up to the upper level via a steep stone staircase. Once reaching the top of the stairs you enter a small shop selling souvenirs and religious goods. After walking through the shop you enter the upper level of the Basilica. There is a large glass area that looks down on the main body of the cathedral far below. There is a doorway which leads out to a terrace overlooking piazza San Marco. There are four statues of horses that were plundered from the hippodrome in Constantinople (Istanbul). These statues are not the originals as these are held inside the Basilica to prevent damage from pollution. Napoleon had stolen them and took them back to Paris with him along with many of the jewels that encrusted the internal walls and the Palla D’Oro alterpiece. Napoleon had the horses installed on the top of the Arch De Triumph but they were eventually returned to the Basilica in 1815. The upper level also contains the museum where you can see ancient relics including bas reliefs, mosaics, some of the church plate and gold encrusted albs and fine tapestries. There is also a wooden statue of the Lion of St. Mark holding a book.
The Domes.
There are five domes on top of the Cathedral the central dome is the largest followed by four domes in the sign of the cross. Internally there are also quite a few semi domes built into the ceiling of the cathedral. They are constantly being repaired and restored as is most of the cathedral which is a never ending task of maintaining this beautiful structure.

The Basilica today.
The Basilica forms the heart and centre of Venice and without doubt most people will at some point visit St. Marks Square. As most people are only in Venice for a day or two or even less I do think that it is worth a visit however I would say that to do it any justice you would need to spend at least three hours here. For those on a day trip it is probably not a good idea as the queues are usually enormous and stretch right back along St. Marks Square. The best time to go is early in the morning before the 500,000 or so people arrive on the tourist busses, trains, cars and cruise ship passengers who descend on Venice each day. What I must warn you about though is that you will not be permitted to enter the Cathedral if you are not dressed appropriately. Women must cover their shoulders and I saw quite a few being turned away after queuing for ages to get in. I think for ladies if they carry a shawl or pashmina in their handbags these can be wrapped around your shoulders thereby showing respect and covering your shoulders. They are very strict in this respect and you will be turned away if you are not covered up. You are also not permitted to take rucksacks in with you either. They can be safely deposited in the ex-church of Antonio di San Basso to the left of the basilica the entrance of which is in Calle San Basso.

Would I recommend a visit to the Basilica?
Absolutely it is without fail one of the most famous and beautiful buildings in Venice. It is supposed to represent the heart of Venice and most visitors will end up in St. Marks Square at some point during their trip to this lovely city of Islands. As I have pointed out I feel that several visits to the Basilica would be necessary to really appreciate the finer details as there is just far too much to take in and absorb on one visit. It is an explosion of gold and art and far too much to appreciate in one go. If you are lucky enough to return to Venice I think that it is a must visit attraction. I for one will return again and again to admire the interior and exterior of this beautiful building. For me I think it is the highlight of any visit to Venice along with the Ducal Palace next door.
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From journal The most beautiful city in the world.

Basilica di San Marco

by Zhebiton

Moscow, Moskva, Russia

July 20, 2010

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Best of IgoUgo Admission in the Cathedral from the atrium-atrium with mozaikami11-12vv. the Old Testament. The oldest on the dome of Creation (image creation on weekdays). In front of a mosaic of the Arc of Paradise "by Tintoretto cardboard (14v.) - scenes of Hell ...Read more Admission in the Cathedral from the atrium-atrium with mozaikami11-12vv. the Old Testament. The oldest on the dome of Creation (image creation on weekdays). In front of a mosaic of the Arc of Paradise "by Tintoretto cardboard (14v.) - scenes of Hell and Paradise and the image of the cross, as if to bring us into the iconography of the temple, dedicated to the New Testament. All stolen from Constantinople in the Crusades.

Directly above the entrance door depicts the Virgin and Child with Saints John and St. Mark, Evangelist (whose head is in the altar section, under the altar), to whom is dedicated to this temple.

Inside all the amazing scale. The walls, the dome, nearly all covered with golden smalt, and the light comes from two small windows on top and muted, all softly flickers and a full sense of unreality.

The uniqueness of the cathedral that his magnificence, indeed, made hand of the master of Constantinople, especially for the guests B11 cc. rich Venetians. And already then, local craftsmen imitated equipment laying glazes and built, decorated the cathedral until the 16 th century. In the temple reigns east, Byzantine environment. The basilica is built in the form of a Greek cross, the sanctuary is raised above the floor 12. (Floor uneven, which gives the feeling of real immersion in the story) and is separated from the nave of the main iconostasis. Inside allowed.

There is a quiet place. Over the throne was "Golden Altar" with precious stones and enamels from Constantinople. Came to an ancient (5) icons Nikopeyskoy, which is located in a separate limit. Its the same was stolen, sorry, "rescued from the barbarians" Venetians from Byzantium, even in the first Crusade

Mosaics. How many of them! For general orientation: at the bottom of the saints, over them the apostles, and the dome Pantocrator (the Almighty). There is even a picture of the Trinity. When you exit the cathedral sharply turn to the left and get into the gallery and museum of the Cathedral of St. Mark. From the gallery of beautiful view of the mosaic dome and the view of the entire space of the cathedral as a whole. You can go to the balcony, where the horses were captured Greek (quadriga) 4-3 cc. before. Mr. Oe. of gilded bronze (from the fourth crusade). Then went to the hall receptions with tapestries, books, objects of the liturgical nature. Close

From journal The Souls of Venice

Grandiose Masterpiece

by MikeInTown

Leesburg, Virginia

June 25, 2010

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We stood in a long line to enter St. Mark's Basilica but fortunately, the line moved along rather quickly. The original basilica that was built in 829 AD, burned to the ground in 927, and was rebuilt by 1071. It got its name because the remains of ...Read more

From journal Azamara 7-Day Mediterranean Cruise

Mosaics and the Museum

by sararevell

London, United Kingdom

July 12, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo 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 ...Read more 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
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From journal Venice: Prosecco, Gelato and la Giudecca

St. Mark's Basilica

by artslover

Calgary, Alberta

May 22, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo Every tourist to Venice must visit St. Mark's square and admire the Basilica. We dutifully did that, but on the day we went, early April, the piazza area in front of San Marco was packed with tourists. We could go into Basilica San Marco or the ...Read more Every tourist to Venice must visit St. Mark's square and admire the Basilica. We dutifully did that, but on the day we went, early April, the piazza area in front of San Marco was packed with tourists.

We could go into Basilica San Marco or the campanile bell tower, open Monday through Saturday from 9:45am to 5pm, but the queues were daunting. Or there's the Palazzo Ducale, open Monday through Sunday from 9am 7pm with admission of €12 but we had no reservations which are recommended and again, long queues. Instead, laziness had set in by our second week in Italy. The sun was out and the air was pleasant. Standing in a queue to go inside a dark building was looking like too much effort.

Instead, we sat at one of the cafes with outdoor tables farther away from the Basilica because it is less crowded and this one didn't have a group playing old Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra tunes. (Is that what Italians think American tourists expect in Italy?) We decided to enjoy the sun, some wine and some people-watching.

The cafe was called Eden, I think, but it hardly mattered because we weren't there for the food. We ordered a bottle of wine from the Veneto. It came with olives on ice which made it refreshing. We hadn't had lunch so we each ordered a panini. My cheese, tomato, and lettuce was exactly that, no dressing of any sort and the bun was plain, entirely bereft of butter or any spread. But the bun was toasted and the cheese and tomato have flavour so it was not as dreary as it might be. My husband's salumi panini was also just bun and slices of salumi. Again, a lesson not to expect much in the way of good food near a major tourist attraction.

This place also had one of the weirdest toilets. It was only 8 - 10 inches high and no seat. And this was for donne, women. I had been warned about lack of toilet paper but no one told me I'd have to practice my deep knee bends.

We sat for quite a while admiring the ornate architecture of the Basilica and people-watching including the drama of some teenage girl running around screaming until she fell into a heaping crying. A crowd gathered around, police were fetched and we never figured out what it was about as she was up and walking away eventually.

We later window shopped in the arcaded area of the square and when the gun went off, the pigeons all flew up, swirled around and settled back. Someone told me this was to scare them off, but it obviously doesn't work.

A perfect afternoon of doing not much of anything. Close

From journal Getting lost in Venezia

St. Mark's Basilica

by Liam Hetherington

Manchester, United Kingdom

February 18, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo In the Byzantine style the Basilica of San Marco squats over its Piazza, a glamorous visitor from another world. A visit is quite-rightly seen as the highlight of any visit to Venice.When I visited in November you entered via a catwalk - the waters ...Read more In the Byzantine style the Basilica of San Marco squats over its Piazza, a glamorous visitor from another world. A visit is quite-rightly seen as the highlight of any visit to Venice.

When I visited in November you entered via a catwalk - the waters of the lagoon had started to rise. The piazza was speckled with water forcing its way up through the drains, and inside the marble flooring of the narthex was slick and shiny with moisture. Appropriately enough mosaics of Noah and the flood, amongst other Old Testament scenes, are overhead. Once into the nave you are dazzled by gold. The domes, the arches, the walls, all have Byzantine style mosaics against a rich gilt background. It felt like being inside one of those copper jelly-moulds you see hanging in posh country kitchens (just over from the Aga). The colours were incredibly vivid, despite mostly being 12th-13th century. They reminded me of the nineteenth-century work in the Church on Spilt Blood in St Petersburg - however, despite all the gold they were not so gauche. The floor too was patterned marble, taking in geometric forms, peacocks, and some Escher-esque 3D designs.

€1.50 lets you up to the sanctuary where the high altar sits over what is supposed to be the tomb of St Mark (his relics were nicked from Alexandria in 828 by Venetian merchants, allegedly smuggled past the Muslim guards by being hidden in a confection of pork). Behind is the Pala d'Oro. As if you hadn't had enough bling this is the finest confection of worked gold and inlaid gems from Constantinople and Venice, dating from 976. And 1105. And 1209. And 1345. As well as the gold it contains 300 sapphires, 300 emeralds, 400 garnets, 15 rubies, 1300 pearls and so forth. The detail of workmanship is exquisite, forcing you to squint.

Another €3 and you can climb to the Museo Marciano. The highlights here are the elevated view straight down the nave, a closer peer at some of the mosaics, and the Doge's-eye view from the balcony over St Mark's Square. The real sell is meant to be the Roman horses of San Marco. And yes, the four steeds are very naturalistic, but they did not wow me.

Returning outside to the square you can see the first known depiction of the basilica in the mosaics above the left entrance. Follow the wall round towards the Palazzo Ducale to check out the porphyry Tetrarchs set into the angle of the wall.

Entry to the Basilica itself, is free, though I certainly recommend paying the extra fees detailed above. From Monday to Saturday it opens from 9.30am to 5pm, and from 2-4 on Sundays. I would recommend being an early bird - as I said, it is a must-see, and everyone else seems to agree. It gets busy. At rush hour you would be very lucky to get a good enough study of the Pala d'Oro. Close

From journal We Open In Venice...

St Mark's Basilica

by Glamazon22

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

January 3, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo Taking pictures of the inside are not allowed, but everything inside is absolutely beautiful. The entire church glitters of gold, and knowing that the building is over a 1,000 years old makes that '87 300ZX Nissan your mom gave you seem like a ...Read more

From journal Of Carnivals and Gondolas

St. Mark's Square and Basilica

by sbonner

Grand Junction, Colorado

August 19, 2005

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We went through the cathedral. What a sight! It was very unfortunate that we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. You were also not allowed inside if you had your shoulders or knees exposed.

From journal 4 hours in Venice

Basilica Di San Marco

by caromeow

Prague, Czech Republic

March 9, 2005

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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 ...Read more

From journal Venezia! Not just for Lovers

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The heady heights of St. Marks tower.

Absolutely stunning St. Marks Basilica.

Basilica di San Marco

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St. Mark's Basilica

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The heady heights of St. Marks tower.

Absolutely stunning St. Marks Basilica.

Basilica di San Marco

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Mosaics and the Museum

St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Basilica

St Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Square and Basilica

Basilica Di San Marco

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