Where: San Marco Square
- From Piazzale Roma:
By water-bus lines :
1 ( about 40 minutes)
51 direct (about 20 minutes)
2 direct ( about 30 minutes)
- From the Train Station (Santa Lucia):
By water-bus lines :
1 ( about 35minutes)
51 direct ( about 25 minutes)
2 direct ( about 25 minutes)
On foot it takes about 30-45 minutes to reach it from either locations.
When/Prices:
- November – March/April (Easter):
Basilica: 9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. (last admission 4.45 p.m.) – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. (entrance free)
St. Mark’s Museum: 9.45 a.m. – 4.45 p.m. (entrance: ticket € 5 , reduced € 2,50 only for groups with more than 25 people)
Pala d’oro: 9.45 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m. (entrance: ticket € 2 , reduced € 1 only for groups with more than 25 people)
Treasury: 9.45 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.(entrance: ticket € 3 , reduced € 1.50 only for groups with more than 25 people)
- March/April (Easter) – November:
Basilica: 9.45 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. (last admission 4.45 p.m.) – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. (entrance free)
St. Mark’s Museum: 9.45 a.m. – 4.45 p.m. (entrance: ticket 5 € , reduced 2,50 € only for groups with more than 25 people)
Pala d’oro: 9.45 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. (entrance: ticket 2 € , reduced 1 € only for groups with more than 25 people)
Treasury: 9.45 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. – Sunday and holidays: 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.(entrance: ticket € 3, reduced € 1.50 only for groups with more than 25 people)
Tips: Avoid the crowds during the day by enjoying the square after midnight. When there aren’t people, the architecture takes its role as protagonist. You can’t miss that.
Entering St. Mark’s Square, the view is enchanted by the Basilica, the queen of this angle of Venice.
Consecrated in 1117, it used to be the chapel of the Doge, the political leader of the Republic of Venice, and, in fact, it is connected to the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale).
Since 1807 it has been the city’s chatedral.
It is almost impossible to summarize its rich, wonderful and amazing history in just a few lines, so take this article as a little glance to increase your curiosity.
The Basilica takes its name from St. Mark, whose relics were stolen by two venetian merchants in 828 and subsequently placed in the Basilica, at that time under construction.
Mosaics
When you step in the square, one of the first thing you notice is the glare of the sun on the gold mosaics of the Basilica.
St. Mark’s Basilica hosts more than 8000 square metres of mosaic, crafted all through its History, it took more than eight centuries to reach this wonderful result.
Can you believe it??
The mosaics depict religious scenes from the Bible.
Architecture
The Basilica is one of the most successful examples of Italo-byzantine architecture, built following a Greek cross plan and covered by five cupolas.
It wasn’t built at the same time, but in many subsequent phases, following the history and the development of the city of Venice itself.
Treasures
The Basilica has protected and hosted for centuries a real treasure, made up of works of art, silver and gold items, precious stones etc., it is generally considered one of the best examples of Venetians craftsmen.
Do not forget that it hosts many pieces directly coming from Constantinople.
The finest piece is the Pala d’Oro, commissioned in Byzantium by Venetians, an altar retable, placed behind the high altar.
The whole scene is too incredible to be described.
Remember we have an article dedicated to the Bell Tower.
Text: Dario
Pics: Davide
Write us: venicebyvenetians@gmail.com
