St. Mark’s Basilica

This is the most famous of the city’s churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco, adjacent and connected to the Doge’s Palace.

Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has been the city’s cathedral only since 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. However the building’s structure dates back to the latter part of the 11th century.

Much work has gone toward embellishing this, and the famous main façade has an ornamented roofline that is mostly Gothic. The gold ground mosaics that now cover almost all the upper areas of the interior took centuries to complete. In the 13th century the external height of the domes was greatly increased by hollow drums raised on a wooden framework and covered with metal; the original ones are shallower, as can be seen on the inside. This change makes the domes visible from the piazza.

Once inside you aren’t really permitted to take pictures, but they don’t post that information until you’re well inside the Basilica. So just for you we have a few pictures.

The interior is very reminiscent of the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. Quite interesting really.

The gold covered domes are just beautiful.

Here’s an important tip. While you’re on the ground floor looking at the front of the church, turn around and look up. You’ll see people standing up there and you’ll wonder how they did that.

Here’s how. When you are herded towards the exit, break off from the pack to the left like you’re headed back to the entrance. As you approach the entrance from the inside you’ll see a tiny little sign with an arrow pointing up to a very steep stone staircase. Walk up the staircase carefully. At the top they will ask you for €5 per person to continue. Pay it. You’ll be rewarded with a view like the picture above and views of St. Mark’s Square like the pictures below.

You also will gain entrance to the Basilica Museum in which they have 1000 year old tapestries hidden in very dark rooms (obviously zero pictures from there). You’ll also see hymn books from centuries ago laid out under glass.

Then when you’re finished, if you can find a docent and ask nicely, they will take you to the ground floor via a keyed elevator so that you don’t need to take those evil stone stairs back down to the ground. From us to you, a really worthwhile tip.