St Marks Basilica

St Mark’s basilica is named after the evangelist Mark, who died and was buried in Alexandria in Egypt. Like St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, St Mark’s was built to honour and protect the relics of St Mark. How the bones of St Mark came to Venice is a fascinating tale that was common during the Middle Ages. The story tells that Islamic hordes were heading to the city of Alexandria to destroy and loot the city. Two Venetian merchants stole the bones of St Mark, smuggling them out of the city (on a cart laden with pork) to protect them. The relics were welcomed by the Doge who ordered a Basilica to be built. The Venetians later claimed that according to legend, Mark saw an angel who announced he would be buried in Venice.

The Relics of St Mark gave religious importance and status to Venice, who now commanded the seas and had a saint on their side. As you walk around Venice you will see everywhere, the red flag bearing the Eastern depiction of St Mark as a winged lion. The symbol signifies his power, pride, magnificence, nobility and courage – the same virtues of the city of Venice.

Building the Basilica

The first Basilica was built in the 9th century to hold the relics of St Mark, but was destroyed by fire in 978AD. What we see today dates back to the later part of the 11th century, but the church has been enlarged and rebuilt in part many times since.

The building’s architecture and design are influenced by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, yet the famous main façade has an ornamented roofline that is mostly Gothic. In the 13th century the external height of the domes was increased by hollow drums and covered with metal which makes them visible from the piazza.

The inside of the church is almost entirely covered (around 8000 m2) in bright mosaics, unlike other Italian churches there are no frescoes. The bright mosaics use gold glass tesserae which make the entire inside shimmer. The mosaics took centuries to complete and were constantly added to and repaired, giving the artisans (and artists) of Venice a constant supply of work, particularly the glass makers of Murano who made the tesserae.

St Mark’s Museum

The Museum inside the Basilica houses religious artefacts from the church dating back to medieval times; including Persian carpets, liturgical vestments, illuminated manuscripts and tapestries of wool, silk and silver illustrating the stories of St. Mark.

The highlight of the museum is the original bronze quadriga or chariot with four horses that were Taken from Constantinople in 1204. They originally adorned the front of the basilica until they were removed for protection and replaced. The horses are exquisite pieces of bronze workmanship, so highly prized, they were taken by Napoleon but eventually given back.

In the Sala dei Banchetti is the ‘weekday altar-piece’ by Paolo Veneziano – a beautiful cycle of St Mark’s life painted on wood dating back to the 14th century. This folding altar was originally placed in the high altar, covering the Pala D’oro.

The museum itinerary starts on the floor over the atrium and ends on the terrace over St Mark’s Square with fantastic views.

Pala D’oro or High Altar

Perhaps the most precious piece of art work inside the Basilica is the Pala D’oro, literally ‘golden altarpiece’ still in its original setting on the high altar since the 12th century. The altar piece was commissioned by the Doge from Byzantium (Constantinople) in 1102 and was embellished and added to over time. What we see today is over two hundred years of work.

It is one of the finest pieces of Byzantine art with over 250 coloured enamel images on sheet gold, interspersed with pearls and precious stones set in the enamels. The Pala D’oro is the largest of its kind and an example of the finest gothic goldsmithing craftmanship. The gilded silver Gothic frame was made in Venice in the mid-14th century.

Originally the altarpiece was covered in a wooden version (known as a weekday altarpiece) and was only unveiled in its full splendour on religious festivals.

The Pala D’oro is not accessible from the basilica and a separate (or combined) ticket is required.

Visiting the Basilica

St Mark’s Basilica is one of the most visited sites in Venice and we recommend you book tickets ahead of time. Each attraction has a different entrance ticket which you can buy in different combinations, depending what you want to see.

Many guided tours are available that allow you to skip the line and give detailed history behind the main highlights.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 9.30am – 5.15pm (last admission: 4.45pm) Sun 2pm-5.15pm

• Tickets: Children under 6 are free
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Basilica 4.00€
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Basilica and Museum 12.00€
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Basilica and Pala d’Oro 12.00€
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Basilica, Museum and Pala d’Oro 19.00€
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Museum and Terraces 8.00€
• Entrance to St. Mark’s Bell Tower – Skip the Line 11.00€
• https://www.bookingbasilicasanmarco.it/en
• The Bell Tower
• Opening Hours: 10am to 5.40pm
• Tickets: 11 €; (children under 6 free),

Please note: In the event of adverse weather conditions (fog, strong wind, intense cold), the Bell Tower will be closed.

As a place of worship, the site has a few rules:

• Knees and shoulders must be covered
• Photographs and video are forbidden
• Please keep voices low – guided tours must use headphones
• Bulky bags and backpacks are forbidden – you can book a storage locker near to the basilica

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