Venice is a unique city, the beauty of which can captivate even the most sophisticated traveler. It is not only famous for its unusual architectural design, but every year it attracts tourists with unique monuments, as well as the opportunity to visit fascinating excursions and large-scale cultural events. Piazza San Marco is unanimously recognized as the heart of the city on the water, and the magnificent cathedral of the same name is its pearl.
Construction history
The history of the cathedral dates back to 828. At that time, the Italian merchants Buono and Rustico were in Alexandria, finding not the best time in the chronology of the ancient city. The followers of Islam destroyed Christian churches, building Muslim mosques in their place. Many historical monuments and holy relics were under threat, and two Venetians decided to save at least something. Their choice fell on the remains of the holy Apostle Mark. It was not an easy task for them. In order not to be caught, they were forced to hide the relics under pig carcasses, because for Muslims, a pig is an unclean animal, which is forbidden even to touch.
The Saracens, hidden in the canvas, let the cargo through without inspection. After the arrival of the cunning Venetians to their homeland, the Apostle Mark was named the heavenly patron of Venice, and the winged lion became the symbol of the Italian pearl. Thanks to the Partechipazio brothers - the noble doges of the city on the water - the construction of the cathedral took three years. Unfortunately, the original building has not survived and its supposed appearance can only be judged by scraps of ancient records and archaeological finds. The original building was severely damaged by the fire of 976, and it was only possible to restore it by the end of the tenth century.
The formation of the appearance in which the cathedral appears before modern travelers began in the 11th century. Under the Honorable Doge Domenico Selvo, the first mosaic was inlaid, and his successor Vitale Faliere contributed to the consecration of the church. The decoration of the basilica, the construction and expansion of the cross-domed church, the construction of the baptistery, chapels and sacristy took several centuries. Judging by the paintings of Venetian artists, the main work on the exterior was completed by the end of the fifteenth century. Architects J. Sansovino and B. Longena played a significant role in this. Despite the fact that the Cathedral is recognized as a UNESCO site and attracts many tourists, it is still active.
Architecture and interior
World researches of history and architecture agree that the Venetian Cathedral is unique in its kind, as it does not fully belong to any of the currently known architectural styles. The reason for this is the protracted construction, during which the classical Greek basilica turned into splendor, decorated with oriental marble, Italian sculptures and Romanesque bas-reliefs. But what is most surprising is that things that are completely incompatible in the stylistic understanding look harmonious and majestic. The cathedral was built according to a project similar to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, but does not repeat it completely. The facades of the building are faced with marble, mosaics and sculptures.
The central dome of the basilica rises 63 meters, and from the inside, like the vaults and the upper level of the walls, is inlaid with mosaics. For most of the fragments, glass from the island of Murano was used - the main pride of Venetian artisans. The mosaics cover the New and Old Testaments, as well as the lives of the apostles Mark, Isidore and John the Baptist. Renowned historians and specialists in cultural studies recognize the temple as an architectural book - in no other place are the Bible stories depicted so scrupulously, fully and impressively. Each dome covers a separate storyline. So, for example, the Dome of the Creation contains scenes from the book of Genesis, and the Dome of Joseph, of which there are three, contains the life of Joseph the Beautiful.
What to see
The rich decoration and outstanding mosaic inlays capture the attention of tourists from the first steps, but the basilica is famous not only for its impressive decoration. An inquisitive tourist must visit the baptistery. Its marble-lined walls are amazingly set off by the vaults, which are filigreely decorated with Byzantine mosaics. The tombs contain Andrea Dandolo and Giovanni Soranza, the 54th and 51st Doges of Venice, respectively. In the center of the hall there is a baptismal font sealed with a bronze lid. The faces of the twelve apostles are inlaid above it under the dome.
Pala D'Oro, a golden image located next to the main altar of the basilica, attracts no less attention. The image is approximately 3 meters in length and width and contains about 250 miniatures. Some of them were written during the reign of Enrico Dandolo (41 Venetian Doges), and a number of them were written by Pietro Gianni, who succeeded him. The final appearance of the image is due to Andrea Dandolo, on whose order a gilded frame was ordered, into which the finished miniatures were installed. For a long time, the altar image was closed from human eyes, showing only the big church holidays, but nowadays every visitor to the basilica can admire it.
Another place worthy of attention is the Treasury of the Cathedral of San Marco, which is located between the temple and the Doge's Palace. The door to it is decorated with a mosaic painting depicting angels surrounded by flames. The theme was not chosen by chance - it reminds of a fire that destroyed a significant part of the original building. Inside there are two rooms: the Sanctuary and the treasury itself. The variety of relics collected is amazing. There are church utensils, jewelry made of precious metals, caskets with holy relics, chalices and even the throne-reliquary of Saint Mark himself. Most of the treasures were brought from the plundered Constantinople, and even then only a fraction of the former wealth. Unfortunately, part of the collection was stolen, and some precious metals and stones were sold out in order to obtain the necessary funds for the restoration of the cathedral.
Opening hours and ticket prices
The stay in the Basilica should not exceed 10 minutes. It is forbidden: to enter the Basilica in too open clothes, to take pictures and video, to talk loudly, to take bulky luggage with you.
Visiting from November to June:
- Basilica: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm (Monday - Saturday, admission is possible until 4:45 pm) and 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm (Sunday / holidays, admission is possible until 4:15 pm) free of charge;
- Museum of San Marco: 9:45 - 16:45 (Monday - Saturday), 14:00 - 16:30 (Sunday / holidays), entrance price: 2 euros, in a group of 25 people - 1 euro;
- Pala D`Oro: 9:45 - 16:45 on weekdays and Saturday, 14:00 - 16:30 on Sunday and holidays (2 euros for individual travelers, in a group of more than 25 people - 1 euros);
- Treasury: 09:45 - 16:45 from Monday to Saturday, 14:00 - 16:30 on Sunday and holidays (3 euros, in a group of 25 people - 1, 50 euros).
Visiting from June to November:
- Basilica: 9:30 am - 5:00 pm (entrance until 4:45 pm) on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm on Sunday and holidays (entrance until 4:45 pm) free of charge;
- Museum of San Marco: 9:45 - 16:45 (5 euros for individual tourists, in a group of 25 people - 2, 50 euros);
- Pala D`Oro: 09:45 - 17:00 on weekdays and Saturday, 14:00 - 17:00 on Sunday and holidays (2 euros for individual tourists, in a group of 25 people - 1 euros);
- Treasury: 9:45 - 17:00 on weekdays and Saturday, 14:00 - 17:00 on Sunday and holidays (3 euros for individual visitors, in a tourist group of more than 25 people - 1.5 euros).
Where is it located and how to get there
Exact address: San Marco, 328, 30124
You can get there by vaporetti (water bus) on routes 1, 51 and 2.
