How the bell tower of St. Mark's in Venice collapsed from behind the kitchen. Piazza San Marco Lightning target and another rebirth

This is the only place in the city that the Venetians themselves call pyatsa - square.

Residents of the city call the remaining squares campo or campiello - field or small field. In the 9th century it was a small site near St. Mark's Cathedral. In 1777, the square acquired its current size. Nowadays, St. Mark's Square has the shape of a trapezoid with a length of 175 m, a width in the wide part of 82 m, and a width of 56 m in the narrow part.

The northern side of the square is occupied by the building of the Old Procurations, the southern side is occupied by the building of the New Procurations. Attached to the Old Procurations is a clock tower with a bell, which is struck every hour by bronze statues, and the dial is decorated with the signs of the zodiac. These buildings in the western part are connected by the arcades of Fabrica Nuove, giving the square the appearance of a huge courtyard. In the southeast corner stands the bell tower of San Marco. The height of the bell tower is 99m.

However, the main attraction of the square is St. Mark's Basilica - the cathedral of Venice, which gives the square its name. Until 1807, the cathedral was the court chapel at (Palazzo Ducale).

Advice: You can get into the cathedral without a queue by purchasing a ticket in advance online for 5 euros.

According to legend, in 828, two Venetian merchants Rustico and Buono stole the body of St. Mark and took it out of Alexandria, after hiding it in pig carcasses. The basilica was built to store the relics of St. Mark, which was consecrated in 832. In 976, a fire practically destroyed the basilica, but by the end of the 10th century it was restored. New construction of the cathedral according to the Byzantine model (Church of the Twelve Apostles of Constantinople) began in 1063, and in 1094 the cathedral was consecrated. Over the next centuries, the cathedral was decorated and expanded. Every foreign ship that came to port had to provide a precious gift to the cathedral. Many relics ended up in the church after the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204.

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St. Mark's Cathedral becomes the religious and political center of the Venetian Republic. Grandiose official ceremonies were held in the cathedral: the coronation and presentation of the new Doge to the townspeople, the blessing of troops before the war (in particular before the 4th Crusade). Here Captain Marco Polo received his blessing before sailing.

The cathedral was built and completed over more than 4 centuries. This affected the architectural style. The cathedral is a harmonious mixture of eras and styles.

The predominant style is Byzantine, but this is true of the general appearance and domes. The addition of antique columns and bas-reliefs, Gothic towers and arrows, facing with oriental marble - all this gives reason to conclude that the Cathedral of San Marco is a unique architectural monument, made in its own Venetian style.

The cathedral building was built in the shape of a Greek cross with dimensions of 76.5 m by 62.5 m, the height of the central dome is 43 m. The interior of the church is represented by a varied iconostasis, statues of the apostles and numerous mosaics.

Today, the Cathedral of San Marco is a functioning temple where services are held. And such relics as the relics of St. Mark, the relics of the martyr Isidore, the image of the Virgin Mary “Nicopea” make the Cathedral of San Marco the center of Christian pilgrimage.

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“He who does not have a heart beating in St. Mark’s Square does not have one at all.”
Unknown traveler of the 19th century

The political and religious center of Venice is St. Mark's Square. The square includes the area from the Grand Canal to the bell tower (Piazzetta) and the vast square itself (Piazza). Here is the Cathedral of St. Mark (9th - 15th centuries), the bell tower (1514), the Doge's Palace (14th - 15th centuries) and the National Library of San Marco (16th century).

Campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Basilica up to 100 meters high, it was built in its current form in 1514 and rebuilt several times. In 1902, as a result of an earthquake, lightning strike and disrepair, it collapsed, but was rebuilt in the same place in the same form by 1912. Here, the most famous scientist of his time in Europe, Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, installed his first telescope to observe celestial bodies.

The bell tower served as a watchtower and a beacon for ships entering the lagoon. In the Middle Ages, a torture cell was located in the tower's sturdy brick shaft. The ringing of five bells determined the rhythm of life in the city and called people not only to church services. The largest bell announced the upcoming meeting of the Great Council, and in the morning it called people to work. At the sound of another bell, the members of the Great Council should have already rushed to the Doge's Palace. The Nona bell marked noon, and the Mezza Terza announced the meeting of the Senate. The smallest bell announced the upcoming execution.

From the top of the tower, in good weather, you can see the spurs of the Alps.

In the square itself (Piazza) there are the Old and New Procurations, intended for the residential apartments of the procurators of San Marco. Between them, by order of the French emperor, a new wing was built (the Ala Napoleonica ballroom).


Photo from the book "Venice". Series "Golden Book". Venice, 2013.

St. Mark's Clock Tower(15th century) is an architectural monument of the Early Renaissance. At the top of the tower, two bronze men in sheep's clothing ring a bell. The difference in their ages (old and young) shows the fluidity of time.
Below, on a blue background with gold stars, is the main symbol of the Venetian Republic, the “Winged Lion” with an open book. The clock shows the seasons of the year, time, phases of the Moon and the movement of the Sun from one constellation to another.

The monumental arch leads to the main (shopping) street Merceria and further to the commercial and financial center on the Grand Canal at the Rialto Bridge.

Gothic Doge's Palace(1309 - 1424) was the residence of the head of the Venetian Republic. The Grand Council, the Senate and the Supreme Court met in the palace. Here the secret police fought the enemies of the republic and corrupt officials. They were effectively drowned in the lagoon or hanged, often before they carried out their insidious plans. During the celebrations, the Doge appeared to the people who had sailed on gondolas from a balcony facing the Grand Canal. The Doge's Palace housed the Grand Council Hall, the offices of the Secret Chancellery and the torture chamber.

On the left in the photo is the largest Venice National Library of St. Mark's. It contains about 13 thousand manuscripts, over 28 thousand first printed and other ancient books of the 16th century.

In the square (piazzetta) rise St. Mark's Columns And Saint Theodore. In 1099, Venice received monolithic granite columns (possibly from Syria) for military assistance to Constantinople, which were installed in the main square about a century later. The place between the columns was used for special occasions of the triumph of justice - for capital punishments. The condemned were placed facing the Clock Tower so that they could see the clock chime the last minutes of their lives. Local residents still prefer not to walk between the columns. Not all tourists know about this.

A bronze statue of the “Winged Lion” was installed on the eastern column. To this day, debate continues about the origin of the “lion” from Persia, China, Byzantium, Assyria or Venice itself.

Napoleon Bonaparte, who put an end to the existence of the thousand-year-old Venetian Republic, considered it his sacred duty to remove the symbol of the power of Venice from the column and send the “Lion of St. Mark” to Paris, where it was installed in front of the Invalides. This seemed excessive to European leaders and, by decision of the Vienna Congress, “Lion” again went to Venice, but on the way the sculpture crashed. Already on site it was somehow glued and installed. In 1985, a major restoration of the “Lion” was carried out. The age of the sculpture weighing 2.8 tons was determined to be 2500 years. This suggested that the sculpture was cast in the 5th century BC in the Assyrian city of Tarsus. From where in the 11th or 12th centuries. The crusaders (“liberators of the Holy Sepulcher”) brought this trophy to Venice.

On the western column there is a copy of the sculpture of St. Theodore(the original is kept in the Doge's Palace). Before the construction of St. Mark's Cathedral, where the relics of the Saint were brought from Alexandria, St. Theodore was considered the main symbol of Venice. The sculpture is considered to be combined - made up of the marble torso of a Roman commander of the 2nd century and the head of a sculpture of Mithridates of Pontus (king of the Bosporus). According to legend, the crocodile symbolizes the maritime power of Venice.

The famous Bridge of Sighs (17th century), connecting the Doge's Palace, where the court was located, with the city prison. Prisoners sentenced to death were escorted across the bridge.

The square is always crowded, even in late autumn

Piazza. On the left are the Old Procurations, on the right is St. Mark's Cathedral in restoration forests.

St. Mark's Cathedral was built in the Byzantine style and is decorated with numerous mosaics. It contains the relics of the Apostle Mark stolen in Alexandria and many valuable items looted during the Crusades, including from Constantinople. In 1987, the Cathedral, along with other Venetian monuments, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Beautiful Venice inspired many artists, poets, and musicians to create world-famous works. No wonder. A city in which magnificent nature is harmoniously connected with exquisite architecture and a long history will not leave anyone indifferent. Here, every building is a landmark, but in this article we will introduce you to a magnificent structure - St. Mark's Cathedral.

Chapel

Everywhere in Venice you can find many monuments dedicated to the Evangelist Mark, who has long been considered the heavenly patron of the city. The first chapel dedicated to the apostle appeared in the city back in 829. Its main shrine was the relics of St. Marks that Venetian sailors stole from Alexandria.

When the Venetians saw that Muslims were barbarously destroying Christian churches and building mosques in their place, they decided to protect the relics of the evangelist from desecration. As the ancient legend says, in order to transport the priceless relic on a ship, the merchants resorted to a trick - they pawned the relics of the saint with pork carcasses, and told the customs officers that they were transporting pork. The Saracens, preaching Islam, did not dare to touch the unclean animal and did not check the cargo. Mark was burned during a popular uprising in 976. At the same time, the Venetian ruler Pietro IV Candiano was overthrown from the throne.

History of the temple

St. Mark's Cathedral, whose history dates back to 1063, amazes not only ordinary tourists. It is admired and continues to be studied by specialists in the field of architecture. Looking at its image, many wonder in which city St. Mark's Cathedral is located. Of course, in ancient Venice (Italy).

In 1071, when the cathedral was not yet completed, the new ruler of the city, Domenico Selvo, was installed in it. It was under him (1071-1084) that the first cycle of making the mosaic decoration of the cathedral began. The temple was consecrated in 1094 under Vital Falier. This ruler (doge) was buried in one of the galleries, where the narthex of the temple is located today.

St. Mark's Cathedral, a photo of which you can see in this article, was built quite quickly - within thirty years. But over the next five hundred years it was constantly expanded and decorated.

The Venetians feared that the Alexandrians would find out about the theft of the relic, so they decided to announce the “miracle” of the appearance of the remains. An ancient legend says that the residents of the city were ordered to pray and fast so that the Lord would help find the relics of Mark. And one day God “heard” the prayers of the townspeople - during one of the services, the column fell away and in the hole the parishioners saw the hand of the saint. There was no doubt left - a “miracle” helped find the relics.

Palace Chapel

For a long time, St. Mark's Cathedral (Venice) was a palace chapel. Rulers (Doges) were crowned in this temple, and here they found their final refuge. The army was blessed in the temple for victory in the Crusades. Here captains going on long voyages received blessings.

Within these ancient walls, the Emperor of Rome, Frederick I Barbarossa, concluded a long-awaited peace with Alexander III. Not a single city celebration was complete without a solemn mass in this basilica. On the square in front of the temple, the famous Venetian carnivals were and continue to be noisy today, as well as other special events.

St. Mark's Basilica in Venice: architecture

It is unlikely that anyone will dispute the assertion that this temple is one of the most interesting and striking attractions of the city. The huge majestic building attracts tourists from all over the world. What is so attractive about St. Mark's Cathedral? Being under its arches, according to parishioners, is a great happiness. The monumentality of the structure strengthens faith and purifies the soul.

But one cannot fail to mention the architectural features of the unique structure. St. Mark's Basilica, a description of which can be found in all guidebooks to Venice, has five entrances. Each of them has a sculpture and columns in two tiers. Magnificent mosaic compositions above the entrances demonstrate the events that are associated with the theft of the saint’s relics and their appearance in Venice.

The five-domed cross-domed Cathedral of St. Mark was created on the model of the Temple of the Apostles in Constantinople. As we have already mentioned, over the next five centuries the temple was expanded and decorated. Work on cladding the façade of the cathedral with marble began in 1159. In the 12th century, mosaics appeared on the central domes and vaults. Baptistery and Chapel of St. Isidora was added in 1354. The Mascoli Chapel appeared in the 15th century, as did the sacristy. In the next, 16th century, the Zen Chapel appeared. The decoration of the temple was completely completed at the end of the 15th century. This is confirmed by his image in the painting by G. Bellini.

Experts note the obvious heterogeneity of architectural styles in the square in front of the temple. St. Mark's Cathedral is its architectural dominant. The author of the project for the magnificent structure was an unknown Greek architect, who based the structure on a Byzantine cross, and it is crowned with four ending domes, the fifth being the base.

Above the main entrances to the cathedral you can see arches with amazing mosaics. Above the main entrance, such a panel depicts scenes from the Last Judgment. On the roof there is a copy of the four horses made of bronze. Such a sculpture was brought from Constantinople (1204) as a military trophy.

Relics of the cathedral

Most of the ancient relics of the temple came here after the fall of Constantinople. These primarily include the quadriga, located on the western facade. This is a copy, and its original is kept in the temple museum. In addition, this is a unique “golden altar” made by excellent Byzantine craftsmen, the icon “Madonna Nikopea”.

Interior decoration

St. Mark's Cathedral (Venice) amazes everyone who comes under its arches with an abundance of colored marble and mosaics on biblical subjects. They occupy a huge area - more than four thousand square meters. Amazing fragments of multi-colored glass are laid out on the thinnest sheets of gold. Cancer with the relics of St. The mark is kept under the sparkling gems and golden throne of the main altar. Above it there is a “golden altar” - a special iconostasis, which was made by Byzantine craftsmen in 1343 by order of the Venetians.

Made from Gothic frame, it consists of 250 miniatures on enamel, inlaid with 2000 semi-precious and precious stones. On the altar you can see scenes from the New Testament and the hagiography. Due to the huge number, they are sometimes called the “golden basilica”.

Today St. Mark's Cathedral is a functioning temple. Daily services are held in the chapel of St. Isidora. There are always a lot of not only parishioners, but also city guests at the services. You can visit every day. The opening hours of the temple are very convenient for visits - from 9:45 to 16:00. In addition to the relics, the relics of the temple include: the icon of the Virgin Mary and the relics of the martyr Isidore. That is why Christian pilgrims from all over the world constantly arrive here.

Campanile of St. Mark's Basilica (Venice)

This is the name of the bell tower of the temple. This is an integral part of the cathedral. It is located on the main square of the city. From here you can see the whole of Venice, since the height of the structure is 99 meters, it is the tallest in Venice.

Historical reference

In the 8th century there was a clock tower here. She burned down in a fire that started after a lightning strike. In 1514, a bell tower appeared in the city, which can be seen today. Construction was initiated by Admiral Grimani. He needed to win the trust of townspeople and local officials, since before that he had not completed the task assigned to him, and therefore could have been convicted. Today we can say with confidence that the Campanile of St. Mark's Cathedral was built at the expense of Grimani.

This structure was a lighthouse for sailors and a watchtower. From here the surrounding area was perfectly visible. At the same time, it was also a place of punishment for church ministers who were seen in same-sex relationships. They were put in special cages and hung from the tower.

Description

The Campanile of St. Mark's Basilica had five bells, each with its own purpose. The largest of them sounded only in the morning, informing residents that the day had already begun.

In 1902, the campanile cracked along one wall and collapsed. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Ten years later (1912) the tower was restored.

The façade of the loggia consists of three arches decorated with side columns. Between them in niches there are bronze statues of Mercury, Minerva, and Apollo. During the reconstruction of 1912, the side facades, which were originally made of brick, were faced with marble.

We only spent about five hours. How to get the most out of the city in such a short time? One way is to climb somewhere higher and look at the city from above. A little later you will find a detailed article about Venice, and today we will look at the city from a bird's eye view, climbing the campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Cathedral, located in the very heart of the city.

At first we were scared by the large queue to the bell tower, however, it must be said that it moves quite quickly. We spent about 20-30 minutes getting inside. In season, in my opinion - not bad! Be sure to climb the bell tower! Especially if you came to Venice for a short time!

Information for travelers:

Address: Piazza San Marco, Venezia, Italy. Phone: +39 041 270 8311

Working hours:
October: Mon. — Sun: 9.00 — 19.00.
November - March/April (Easter time): Mon. - Sun: 9.30 - 15.45.
March/April (Easter time) - June: Mon. — Sun: 9.00 — 19.00.
July - September: Mon. — Sun: 9.00 — 21.00.

Ticket price: 8 euros (reduced ticket for 4 euros only for groups of more than 15 people).

How to get there:

The bell tower is located on. You can get there by water taxi "" along the Grand Canal.

From the train station - taxi No. 1 (many stops), No. 2 (express) and N (night route).

From the Tronchetto car park - taxi No. 1 and N (night route).

You can also get there from the parking lot by express boats (much faster and comparable in price).

Bell tower on the map:

Photos of Venice:

4.
Clock Tower and St. Mark's Square

Two views of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute:

10.
City spiers

13.
On the left is the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the cathedral of the same name with a bell tower

14.
Pier near St. Mark's Square

Piazza San Marco, also known as St. Mark's Square, is the main square in Venice. The square appeared in the 9th century, after the construction, in honor of which it received its name. The modern architectural ensemble took shape in the second half of the 18th century.

The main entrance to the “piazza” from the lagoon is framed by two columns. The first is crowned with a statue of St. Theodore slaying a dragon: he was the patron of Venice until the relics of the Apostle Mark, who became the city’s new heavenly patron, were transported here. The second column is decorated with a winged lion cast in bronze. The lion is a symbol of St. Mark, and later it became a symbol of the city. In the 13th century, a platform was erected between the columns, intended for carrying out death sentences. The condemned were placed facing the clock tower so that they could see their last hour. For this reason, superstitious townspeople try not to pass between the columns.

In addition to St. Mark's Cathedral, the most striking example of Venetian Gothic dominates the square.

Next to the Basilica of San Marco is the bell tower of the cathedral, built at the beginning of the 16th century: its height is 98.6 meters. The tower collapsed in 1902, but the Venetians restored it to its original location. Tourists can go up to the observation deck.

Another attraction of Piazza San Marco is the clock tower, also known as Torre del Orologio. At the top of the tower there are two three-meter bronze statues, which are called “Moors” because of the dark color of the metal. One sculpture depicts a bearded man an old man, the other - a beardless young man, which symbolizes the passage of time. The statues move: they hit the bell with hammers, striking the time. There is also an observation deck on the clock platform.

Working hours
Bell tower of the Cathedral of San Marco- from July to September from 9:00 to 21:00, in October, as well as from April to July - from 9:00 to 19:00, from November to March from 9:30 to 15:45. The schedule in March-April may change depending on the date of Easter; it can be clarified on the official website.
works daily. Tourists can go up to the observation deck only with a guided tour: tours in English are available from Monday to Wednesday at 10:00 and 11:00 and from Thursday to Sunday at 14:00 and 15:00. There are no excursions in Russian; a schedule of excursions in Italian and French can be found on the tower’s website. Advance booking is required to take the tour.

Ticket prices
Bell tower of the Cathedral of San Marco- 8 euros, groups of 15 people or more can purchase tickets with a 50% discount.
Clock tower in Piazza San Marco- the cost of an adult ticket is 12 euros, a reduced ticket for children, students and pensioners is 7 euros.

Address: Piazza San Marco, Venezia.