San Marco in Venice is a square with a thousand-year history. St. Mark's Basilica - the heart of Venice Where is St. Mark's Basilica

The majestic Basilica of St. Mark is the main cathedral of the city, and since 1807 the residence of the patriarch in Venice. In ancient times, the building served as a chapel at the Doge's court. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Francesco Moraglia, a native of Genoa, Patriarch of Venice on January 31, 2012, and on March 25 of the same year he began his ministry as bishop. The cathedral is located in Piazza San Marco next to the Doge's Palace and is open to pilgrims and tourists every day, with the exception of rare days when access is limited for objective reasons. The building absorbed the best trends of the Roman-Byzantine architectural style with Gothic elements.

History of the construction of the cathedral

The history of St. Mark's Basilica began in 828, when the eleventh Doge, Giustiniano Partecipazio, decided to build a church in honor of St. Mark next to the palace. It was rebuilt in 978. Fires that broke out during the riots of 976 destroyed the building. But the prototype of the cathedral in its current grandeur was the 11th century basilica.

The construction of the basilica was initiated by Doge Domenico Contarini in 1063, construction continued under his successor Domenico Selvo, and completion occurred during the reign of the thirtieth Doge Vitale Falier. The basilica was consecrated in 1094. In 1231, the cathedral was damaged by fire again, but restoration work was carried out continuously and by 1617 the temple had acquired an altar.

The main purpose of the temple was to store the relics of the Evangelist Mark, taken from Alexandria by Venetian merchants in 828. The merchants saw a clear need to save the Christian shrine from the danger caused by the active destruction of churches by Muslims and the construction of mosques. Fearing customs inspection, the merchants reliably hid Mark's relics in a shipment of pork meat. From the moment the relics were placed, St. Mark became the heavenly patron of Venice. Evidence of this is the winged lion - the symbol of the city and the sign of the apostle.

All Latin inscriptions of the cathedral contain:

• biblical passages written on the scrolls of the prophets;
• medieval texts in poetic form, dedicated to St. Mark and written specifically for the temple.
• prayers or invocations found on arches, domes or vaulted ceilings;
• descriptive texts illustrating individual scenes;
• the names of prophets and saints next to each individual image.

The Bell Tower of St. Mark is a square tower in cross-section, reaching, together with the spire crowning it, a height of 99 meters. The tower once served as a lighthouse for sailors. The start date of its construction dates back to the twelfth century. It was later rebuilt, covered with copper, and in its present form, with the addition of a belfry and spire, is a delight to the eye. Of the five original bells, only the largest remains in its original condition. The rest were lost in the fall of 1902 and were replaced. All of them are a gift from Pope Pius X.

On July 14, 1902, the tower suddenly collapsed. The cause of the collapse was poor quality masonry. The damage seemed irreparable. Thanks to a happy coincidence, a corner fragment of the basilica survived. At the base of the bell tower there is a preserved balcony, built in the mid-16th century, decorated with marble and bronze. The city council decides to restore the building to its original form. Restoration work began on April 25, 1903, and nine years later, in 1912, the new bell tower was opened. The building is crowned by a recreated copper figure of the Archangel Gabriel, almost completely rebuilt according to the 1822 model.

From the bell tower you can admire the panorama of magnificent Venice. The bell tower, based on ninth-century Roman foundations and built between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, appears virtually unchanged after reconstructions and restorations. The laconic harmony of Roman architecture greets visitors to Venice. Despite being hit by lightning and experiencing earthquakes, the bell tower continues to delight visitors and city residents.

All travelers have sought to visit the tower, starting from ancient times. The view of the city and ports is too attractive. The pass was given with extreme caution in order to avoid attempts to use high-altitude observations for reconnaissance purposes. During the time of Galileo Galilei, the tower was used as an observatory to study the sky. In 1609, a telescope was located on the upper platform.

Mosaics in the Byzantine style

Under Doge Domenico Selvo in 1071-1084, the basis for the mosaic decoration of the cathedral was born. The mosaic images are the first association with St. Mark's Basilica. Mosaics on a golden background cover more than 8,000 square meters of walls, vaults and the dome of the basilica. The Byzantine trace in architectural design can be seen in the natural integration of finishing elements.

Mosaic decor developed over eight centuries. The mosaics of the basilica contain images of the life of the biblical Old Testament and New Testament Saint Mark, allegorical figures, events from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and other saints. Warm colors predominate in the design. Depending on the intensity of lighting, the mosaic images appear before parishioners in different colors, striking the imagination with amazing effects.

In addition to aesthetic pleasure, the interior of the cathedral preserves the most significant evidence of spiritual historical events. The messages of ancient architects, expressed in artistic trends characteristic of various historical periods, are carefully restored as needed, and appear before the eyes of art lovers as priceless artifacts of the past. An undoubted decoration of the cathedral is the floor, made from fragments of various shapes and sizes of multi-colored marble. Among the various geometric mosaics, images of representatives of the animal and plant world are presented.

St. Mark's Museum

The St. Mark's Museum was founded at the end of the 19th century. Inside the museum are collected relics of various purposes and origins, but one way or another belonging to the Cathedral. The museum contains Persian carpets, vestments for worship, illuminated manuscripts with texts of liturgies, fragments of ancient mosaics separated during the restoration of the nineteenth century, tapestries with stories about Jesus, embroidered in silk and silver, canvases with the lives of saints. Among the most important exhibits is the chariot that once stood in the center of the main façade.

Location:
Cathedral Address: Piazza San Marco, 328, 30100 Venezia VE, Italy
Official website of St. Mark's Cathedral

If you come to Venice for a short time, for one day or just a few hours, I recommend that you do not rack your brains over the route to walk around the city. In such a short time, even an experienced traveler will have time to see only the most basic things, what it is famous for throughout the world. Most often, in such cases, tourists sail along the Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square and there they decide what to do next. And, of course, most people, when they find themselves in the square for the first time, strive to visit the most important attraction of Venice: the legendary St. Mark's Cathedral.

A thorough inspection of the cathedral inside and outside, its museum and treasury will take almost the whole day. Let's explore this stunning historical monument at least in general terms.

From the origins of the Venetian Republic to the present day

Discovery of the relics of St. Mark

It cannot be said that the history of the Venetian Republic dates back to the construction of St. Mark's Cathedral. And until 829, when its construction began, a unique Venetian statehood had been developing for several centuries. However, it is impossible to deny that it was from the time the Venetians found the relics of St. Mark and the creation of the cathedral that the republic began to gradually rise to the pinnacle of its power. Subsequently, she found herself among the leading world powers of the Middle Ages. You and I know that there was no mysticism in all this, it was just the way political, geographical and other circumstances developed that sometimes so bizarrely influence the course of world history. But for the Venetians then everything looked a little different.

In those distant times, Christianity played a major role in the life of people, and religion permeated literally all aspects of the life of medieval Europe, influencing politics, economics, etc. Therefore, the acquisition by a particular city of the relics of some saint was considered not just an act of religious piety, but as a strengthening of the power and prestige of the corresponding settlement or state.

The story of the removal of the relics of St. Mark from Alexandria by Venetian merchants is surrounded by legends. It is not entirely clear whether the Venetians committed an ordinary theft (this was quite in the spirit of the times and the Venetians) or acted in agreement with local priests, saving the relic from the Muslims, but, one way or another, on January 31, 829, the remains of St. Mark were delivered to Venice. The Saracens allegedly suspected something was wrong and subjected the ship to inspection, but the cunning merchants hid the relics among pigskins, upon seeing which the faithful were horrified and ran away.

By the way, before Mark, Venice already had its own patron saint, Theodore. However, the author of one of the Gospels, Mark, apparently looked more respectable to the Venetians, and by the way, there was a legend that he once preached Christianity on the islands of the local lagoon. From this moment on, Saint Mark became the patron saint of the Venetian Republic, and his biblical image - a winged lion - became the main state symbol. The old patron, however, has not been forgotten either: one of the columns in front of St. Mark's Square is crowned with a statue of St. Theodore trampling a dragon (pictured above).

Construction of St. Mark's Cathedral

This is where the history of St. Mark's Cathedral comes from: something special had to be built to store the relic. They began to build it at the same time, in 829, and completed the work in 832, but that building did not reach us: the fire of 976 damaged it greatly. Moreover, due to the elements, the relics of St. Mark were lost, and they were found only almost 100 years later, in 1094, during construction work in the new cathedral building. They say that the relics were found thanks to a miracle: the evangelist’s hand stuck out from under the column and showed where to dig.

The new cathedral was built by 1071, later it was expanded and completed - this is how it has survived to this day. The architecture of the cathedral is very unusual for Europe: it was built in the Byzantine style, modeled on the Temple of the Apostles in Constantinople. Considering the fact that little remained of the churches of the Byzantine Empire after the Turkish conquest, this “Byzantine trace” was especially interesting to me in Venice. At the dawn of its statehood, the Republic was generally closely connected with Byzantium, and St. Mark’s Cathedral is a clear confirmation of this.

However, looking at the cathedral, it is difficult to say that it was made in any way homogeneous: the construction and decoration of its individual elements continued throughout the entire existence of the Venetian Republic, and this could not but lead to some mixing of styles. The cathedral was often compared even to a mosque (its domes indeed suggest such associations). One traveler once expressed himself in the spirit that he does not know of another temple, in the design of which so many styles and tastes are piled up, where four bronze horses would be shoved above the central entrance, and with all this, the appearance of the building would only benefit. Yes, St. Mark's Cathedral is truly a building of unique architecture.

From the rise to the fall of the Venetian Republic

The cathedral was decorated for almost 800 years: the most recent mosaic was created in 1838, 41 years after the fall of the republic. And in the first centuries after the construction of the cathedral and during the heyday of Venice, the decoration and exaltation of the temple was considered the most important duty of every citizen of the republic. The doges and numerous rich people who sought to gain power generously donated funds for these purposes, and for the Venetian merchants, they say, there was a special tax obliging them to bring something from their trips for the cathedral. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are few churches in the world comparable to St. Mark’s Cathedral, not only in the richness of the internal and external decoration, but also in the number of treasures and relics collected in it.

The cathedral owes the lion's share of its wealth to the capture and plunder of Constantinople in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade. The Venetians took an active part in it and feasted on Byzantine goods to their heart's content. The ethical side of the question: how is it possible that Christ’s army is destroying and plundering a Christian city - no one was interested in then. ascended to the pinnacle of her power, and St. Mark's Cathedral shone in a blaze of unprecedented splendor.

Almost 600 years later, history returned the favor from the Venetians: Napoleon not only put an end to the republic, but also took away a huge amount of jewelry and works of art, including from St. Mark’s Cathedral. Some of them were subsequently returned to Venice, but many disappeared forever.

Until 1807, St. Mark's Cathedral was a court chapel at the Doge's Palace, and ordinary people were not allowed into it. True, ceremonies were sometimes held here, including the presentation of the new Doge or the display of captured enemy banners, but even then, undoubtedly, only noble Venetians had access to the cathedral. Apparently, there were serious fears that the working people, having seen all the splendor of the temple up close, would not be able to resist the desire to plunder a little.

In 1807, it received the status of the cathedral of Venice (the seat of the local bishop was moved here). Since then, St. Mark's Cathedral has seemed frozen in time and serves as the main exhibit of the city-museum. It is periodically flooded, and restoration work is carried out from time to time. There is still talk that all this splendor may eventually go under water, just like the city itself. But such a risk, if it exists, is quite in the Venetian spirit: the city has always lived in a state of certain uncertainty.

Now everyone is allowed into the cathedral for free, however, access to the treasury and museum requires money. But even from the outside, the shrine can be viewed for a long time and from different angles. I suggest we start our little excursion.

Around St. Mark's Cathedral

From the embankment and the Doge's Palace

If we approach St. Mark's Square from the embankment (that's how most tourists get here), then the Paper Gate will be to our right, the Doge's Palace is behind us, and in front is the southern façade of St. Mark's Cathedral. I hope you are lucky with the weather, otherwise on one of my visits this place looked like this.

St. Mark's Square often floods, and at such moments, in order to examine the cathedral up close from all sides, you will need high rubber boots, fortunately they are sold here in abundance. The water level, almost knee-deep, does not seem to be considered critical: paths of high benches are immediately built on the square, along which people run, and visitors continue to be calmly allowed into the cathedral. Be prepared for such nuances and don’t worry: the weather in Venice changes frequently, and water is periodically pumped out from the square.

So, we are standing on the south side of the cathedral. Note the ledge on the right, adjacent closely to the Paper Gate.

This extension connects the temple with the Doge's Palace, and its interior now houses the cathedral's treasury. You probably noticed four figures on the corner? Let's take a closer look at them.

Like most other decorative elements of the cathedral, this sculptural group of dark red porphyry was taken from Constantinople after the sack of the city in 1204. It is believed that the composition of the 4th century depicts the heirs of the Roman Emperor Constantine, the so-called tetrarch emperors. However, there is a much more exciting legend: some Saracens tried to steal something from the cathedral and were turned to stone as punishment.

The elements of the columns that we see near the wall of the cathedral are also from Byzantium. Next to them is the porphyry pedestal of the Pietra del Bando, on which the heads of executed criminals were once displayed.

Also note the image of St. Christopher.

There was a belief that if you look at it, nothing bad will happen to you that day, so sailors setting off on their journey took a last look at the cathedral from the bay.

Main facade of St. Mark's Cathedral

We begin to move towards the main facade of the temple. To our left stands the cathedral's campanile, which once served as a watchtower, a lighthouse, and, in fact, a bell tower. The tower acquired its current appearance in 1514, but in 1902 it suddenly collapsed. I still couldn’t understand how it was a miracle that this huge mass didn’t damage the surrounding buildings. It was restored to its original form by 1912.

Well, we are now looking at the main facade of St. Mark's Cathedral. Luxurious marble finishing did not appear immediately: facing work was carried out from the 13th to the 15th centuries. And marble, and numerous columns and capitals are also trophies of the fourth crusade. It's hard to believe that more than 1,000 years ago all this decorated the palaces and churches of Constantinople.

Be sure to check out the mosaics above the five arches of the façade. On the right we see first an illustration of the legend about how the Venetians managed to drive away the Muslims from the ship with the relics of St. Mark using pig skins.

The following painting illustrates the arrival of the saint's relics in Venice. Like the previous one, this mosaic was made in 1660.

Above the central span is the “youngest” mosaic of the cathedral, depicting the appearance of Christ the Judge. It was completed, as I already mentioned, only in 1838.

Nearby is a work from the 18th century: the Doge and the Venetian nobility meet the relics of St. Mark.

And finally, above the leftmost arch is the oldest of the mosaics of the facade, created in the 13th century: the transfer of the relics of St. Mark to the cathedral.

Above the large arched openings you can see other mosaics illustrating scenes from the Gospels.

Quadriga of Saint Mark. Towards the northern façade of the cathedral

Looking at the facade, you have probably already noticed a sculptural group of four bronze horses at the very top above the central arch.

This is the famous quadriga of St. Mark, and its history is truly unusual. Apparently, the composition was created in the 4th century BC and, as all guidebooks unanimously report, it is the only example of multi-figure equestrian sculpture from ancient times that has come down to us. The Venetians got it (you probably already guessed it) in 1204: until then, horses adorned the Constantinople hippodrome. Already in the middle of the 13th century they were installed on the loggia of St. Mark's Cathedral, but their wanderings did not end there. Napoleon, having conquered the Venetian Republic in 1797, could not pass by such a monument and sent it to. For a decade and a half, the ancient horses stood on the Carrousel arch near the Louvre, but in 1815 they were finally returned to Venice. Now a copy is installed on the loggia, and the original of the sculptural group is in the cathedral museum.

Having examined the basilica from the main facade, do not rush to go inside. Go around the cathedral on the north side, here you can admire the so-called Gate of Flowers, which got its name because of the ornate floral patterns.

I also really liked the porphyry lions sitting nearby on pedestals. Unlike the stern winged lions that are often found in Venice, these look very cute and somehow homey. And probably also the trophies of Constantinople...

Well, now that we have seen everything interesting from the outside, it’s time to go to the holy of holies of Venice, inside St. Mark’s Cathedral.

What awaits at the entrance to the cathedral

Visitors are allowed into the cathedral through the central door from the main facade. There is always a queue: for such objects the concept of season/out-of-season simply does not exist. Don't be alarmed: the stream moves quite quickly. Entrance to the cathedral is free, but they force you to open your backpacks and bags for inspection. They let people in in groups: a group of people passed, stood for 5-10 minutes, the next group passed, etc. This is a common practice for especially popular tourist sites, otherwise crowds may arise.

Large bags are not allowed inside, and “large” often includes backpacks, for example. But this does not create any special problems: the cathedral has its own storage room, in which case you will have to use it. You cannot enter the temple in inappropriate clothing, you should not talk loudly inside, and (most unpleasantly) video and photography is prohibited. The last prohibition is periodically violated by many visitors, and I did not notice that they zealously monitor cameras here, but these are the rules.

Inside St. Mark's Cathedral

Interiors and what to look for

When I came here for the first time, I was unpleasantly surprised by the darkness that reigned around. It was still tolerable to move along the designated paths, but it was completely impossible to see anything on the walls. Foci of normal light were visible only from the side of the treasury and the altar, where the Golden Image is exhibited (aka the Golden Altar - translations vary).

Subsequently, I learned that normal lighting in the cathedral is turned on by the hour: every day from 11:30 to 12:45, and on Sundays and holidays the interiors are illuminated all day long. I don’t know how this practice is explained: economy taken to the absolute level, or fear that the light will damage ancient masterpieces (it’s not for nothing that photography is prohibited). One way or another, but I repeat: without backlighting it is almost impossible to see anything in the cathedral. And there is a lot I would like to consider here.

I have never seen such a complete picture of mosaics in any cathedral in the world. They were created over several centuries, starting from the 11th century. Early mosaics were made by unknown Byzantine masters according to icon painting canons. Later works were carried out mainly by Venetians based on sketches by famous artists: Titian, Tintoretto, etc. Most often, the material for mosaics was the famous Murano glass.

The mosaics depict various biblical scenes from the Old Testament and the Gospels, scenes from the lives of saints. Here, for example, is an image from the 11th century - the theft of the relics of St. Mark by the Venetians.

Here is a popular religious plot among artists of all times: The Last Supper.

And this mosaic depicts the temptation of Christ.

The famous icon of the Mother of God “Nicopea” is kept in the northern transverse nave of the cathedral.

It is believed that the Apostle Luke himself was the first to bring this image to life. The icon is another trophy obtained by the Venetians in Constantinople. The Byzantine emperors revered her as their guardian; soldiers asked her for intercession before battle, hence her name, which translates as “victorious.”

In the small courtyard of the cathedral, there are various columns near the walls, which at first glance are unremarkable. But once you find out that some of them were allegedly taken from Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, you begin to look at them with different eyes.

Golden image

The relics of St. Mark are kept in the main altar of the temple.

Above the altar rises one of the most important jewels of St. Mark's Cathedral, the Pala d'Oro (Golden Image). Outwardly, it resembles a huge golden cube with a large number of small images embedded in it, depicting various saints. This masterpiece was commissioned in 978 from Byzantine masters by Doge Pietro Orseolo, but the Golden Image acquired its current form only in the 13th–14th centuries. It is decorated with rubies, emeralds and other precious stones, gold and enamel of Byzantine origin.

During the years of the Venetian Republic and later, until the middle of the 20th century, few people could see the Golden Image: it was exhibited in the cathedral only during the most solemn services. And these days, to see the Pala d’Oro up close, you need to purchase a ticket (the ticket office is located next to the altar).

After examining all this splendor, I had a question: how did the French, who were dragging everything from Venice indiscriminately, not be flattered by the Golden Image? It turns out (at least this is the most common version), Napoleon’s soldiers simply did not believe that the hefty altar they found was decorated with real gold and real precious stones. Well, it didn’t fit into the soldiers’ heads. So the luxurious look of the Pala d’Oro served as an excellent disguise.

Cathedral Treasury

The entrance to the treasury is located in the corner of the cathedral farthest from the entrance, to the right of the altar. There is also a separate cash register here. The room includes two small rooms: a hall where the treasures themselves are displayed, and a hall with religious relics. There is not much space here, but there are always a lot of people, even if the cathedral itself is not too crowded, you will have to jostle in the treasury. There is especially little space in the reliquary; there is a continuous line moving here: people enter a narrow door, walk around the perimeter of the room, pausing briefly at some display cases, and exit through the same door.

The collection of exhibits consists mainly of numerous caskets and other objects containing the relics of saints. Guidebooks describing the most valuable relics kept here mention such as a piece of the skull of John the Baptist, the finger of Mary Magdalene, a sample of the handwriting of St. Mark, the milk of the Virgin Mary, a thorn from the crown of thorns of Jesus, a knife used during the Last Supper, etc. However, It is very difficult to see anything specific in the display cases of the reliquary: to make out the small inscriptions in Italian, you need to stop for a long time, and this is inconvenient to do in an endless stream of people. By the way, if you come with children, think about whether it is worth going into the reliquary: dry hands and fingers, skulls, teeth, bones - impressionable people may feel uneasy here.

In the treasury room we can see an impressive collection of art and everyday objects from Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Byzantine art is most widely represented: icon frames and other religious paraphernalia, jewelry, enamels, richly decorated cups, glassware, etc. There are vessels from Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, and objects of Islamic art are also present.

Here, for example, is an example of rock crystal carving from the 4th century: a lamp in a Byzantine frame.

And here is a Byzantine glass bucket from the 4th century with images on the theme of hunting.

A glass vessel with gilding, decorated with silver and semi-precious stones, born in Constantinople in the 10th century. Another Venetian trophy from 1204.

Here we see examples of Islamic art. A playing chip, a carved crystal plate and a glass glass with images of lions.

Presumably, these objects were created on the territory of modern Iran or Iraq in the 9th–10th centuries. You can spend a long time looking at the ancient treasures, but we still have a cathedral museum ahead of us. Therefore, we leave the treasury and move towards the main entrance. Here in the lobby we find the ticket office, buy a ticket and go upstairs to the museum.

Cathedral Museum

The museum has a fairly large exhibition, which is located on several floors. A large number of recreated mosaics of the temple and their individual elements are presented here, which can be viewed up close.

We see various state symbols of the Venetian Republic in the form of sculptures, flags, tapestries.

There are also ceremonial objects used by the Venetian doges.

In one of the corridors I found original sculptures of horses from the quadriga of St. Mark.

And next to them we can see the already familiar porphyry tetrarchs, also in the original.

Walking from one room of the museum to another, at some point we find ourselves on a balcony overlooking the interior of the cathedral. From here you can see mosaics that are not visible from below.

While leisurely wandering through the halls of the museum, you will see many more interesting things: ancient books, icons and objects of decorative art.

Finally, once on the upper level, do not pass by the small door leading to the Cavalli Loggia. It received its name (“horse”) because it was here that the quadriga of St. Mark was installed. It's worth going up here, even the museum didn't interest you much: the loggia offers excellent views of St. Mark's Square.

It’s all there in full view: the procuration buildings, the campanile and the Clock Tower.

From the opposite side of the loggia you can clearly see the Doge's Palace and two columns with statues on the Piazzetta - the front gate of Venice.

Having photographed everything that causes delight, we return to the museum.

If you wish, you can still wander through its halls, but I think that we have seen enough for today. Therefore, we can go downstairs and leave the cathedral with a clear conscience.

Opening hours and entrance fee

St. Mark's Cathedral

Operating mode:

• from November to June (the day of the Feast of Corpus Christi*):
  • Monday to Saturday - 9:30–17:00,
  • on Sundays and holidays - 14:00–16:30;

Free admission.

* The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated on the first Thursday after the Holy Trinity. Accordingly, the specific date varies from year to year, the approximate range being from May 25 to June 25.

Cathedral Museum

Open daily from 9:45 to 16:45.

Entrance costs 5 EUR.

Golden image

Operating mode:

• from November to June (the day of the Feast of Corpus Christi):
  • Monday to Saturday - 9:45–16:00,
  • on Sunday and holidays - 14:00–16:00;
• from June (the day of the Feast of Corpus Christi) to October:
  • Monday to Saturday - 9:45–17:00,
  • on Sunday and holidays - 14:00–17:00.

Entrance - 2 EUR.

Treasury

The operating time is the same as the Golden Image.

How to get to St. Mark's Basilica

The cathedral (1) is located in the square of the same name, which can be reached on foot from the northwestern side of Venice (follow the signs, of which there are many in the city). Or you can take a vaporetto (No. 1, No. 2, etc.) to the San Zaccaria stop (2), go around the Doge's Palace (3) and go to St. Mark's Cathedral.

After exploring the cathedral, take a stroll around the square. I don’t recommend that you go to the Doge’s Palace on the same day: you won’t have enough energy to see it. You can climb the Campanile (4) and appreciate the panorama of Venice from its highest point. Or simply head towards the Rialto Bridge (5), enjoying a stroll through one of the most beautiful cities in the world...

Anything to add?

A story with photos about the main sights of Venice and its “heart”, the San Marco quarter: about the Piazzetta, the Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Cathedral.

That's right, they hide witches
Curtains of black gondolas
Where the lights on the lagoon are
Thousands of fire bees."

"Venice", Nikolai Gumilyov

Sights of Venice, preface

To understand Venice (as much as possible), you need to see it either from above or on a detailed map - and only then walk through it, meter by meter, bridge by bridge, enjoying the world's highest concentration of architectural and historical relics per square kilometer. Venice is extremely small - you can walk it all from end to end in about an hour - but only if you clearly know the purpose of the walk and the road to it. If at least one of these conditions is absent (or even better, if both) - then the traveler is guaranteed to get lost, and, given time and a little adventurism, will subsequently remember this biographical fact as one of the most exciting events in life. But first, we need to say a few words about the geography of the former city-state, maritime superpower and trading republic. A long narrow barrier, torn in several places, fences off the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea - and the result is a shallow backwater, where here and there the waves deposited silt and sand, eventually forming barely noticeable small islands. It was on these tiny islands that the first settlers settled, who fled here from the mainland from the invasion of pawnshops in the 6th century.

Not risking returning to the earth's surface again, they were forced to rely on water rather than land - and it was from this crazy decision of a handful of people that a masterpiece city subsequently grew. So, in the place where Venice now stands, an archipelago of tiny inhabited islands arose. Each one always had a church, followed by a grassy field (campo) - which is why squares in Venice are still called “campo” and not “piazza”, as in the rest of Italy. Along the edges of these campos stood the houses of those who donated money to the church, then the houses of those who were poorer were located. Over time, through the efforts of their inhabitants, these numerous islands grew into larger ones - and this “campo-centric” system led to the fact that there were no rich and poor neighborhoods in Venice - everyone lived interspersed around their campos. The islands were connected by piles driven into the mud and artificial pavements. The Republic of Venice was stitched together from many island-villages, subject to strict discipline and collective interests in a constant “state of emergency” (which is not surprising, given the unique location of the city and the abundance of external enemies and envious people, whose number grew along with the growth of Venice’s wealth).

Having grown together, the canals were not completely filled up - and therefore Venice still remains a unique artificial archipelago. According to some, modern Venice is similar in plan to a fish: its head is tied to the mainland by the “line” of the railway - it is interesting that the fish was hooked and the Venetian Republic lost its independence from a historical point of view almost simultaneously: in 1797 the Venetian Great Council adopted the Napoleonic constitution, which essentially abolished independent Venice, and a little later the Santa Lucia railway station and a line connecting the archipelago with the mainland were built.

The body of the fish is cut through the smooth zigzag of the Grand Canal, the main transport artery of Venice, where the water is both a roadway and a pedestrian sidewalk. Along the banks of the Grand Canal there are six medieval districts of the city: three on the right and three on the left. On the right, in the belly of the fish, lies the main one, San Marco: power, its relics and luxury were concentrated there, and the fish hid almost all its mined treasures there. Higher up on the same side is Cannaregio, with the ancient monasteries and the Jewish mind of Venice, its ghetto - during the time of the first ghetto, this word did not have the current negative meaning. Below is Castello, where the naval and trade power of the republic was forged in the shipyards of the Venetian Arsenal.

To the left of the Grand Canal are San Polo and Santa Croce, where the city's main bridge, main market and main bank are located, the main attributes of a maritime trading power. To the left lies the somewhat distant Dorsoduro, the “jaw” of the Venetian fish: a quiet (after San Marco) arts district.

It is noteworthy that a whole school of fish swims in the Venetian lagoon: the long Giudecca swims just below, and the small fish of the island of San Giorgio with the magnificent Palladio temple. Besides them, swimming near the main fish are Murano, the birthplace of Venetian glass; Burano, famous for its colorful houses, ancient Torcello, famous for its mosaics. You can’t ignore the Venetian Lido: a place where it makes sense to live if you don’t want to overpay at times in tourist San Marco and Santa Croce, housing prices there are much lower, and the heart of Venice, the San Marco district, can be reached by vaporetto in 15 minutes; I personally stayed at the Lido, so I recommend it. In addition to the undeniable financial advantages (which, however, become less noticeable at the height of the Italian beach season - there is a very popular beach on the Lido), from there you can get to the farthest part of Venice - the fishing village of Chioggia.

For most tourists, this is where Venice begins (if you don’t count the Santa Lucia train station or the bus station), but for many it ends here: those who come to Venice for one day are unlikely to have time to see anything other than San Marco and a couple of famous bridges “on the run”. I myself came to Venice for the first time in exactly this mode - for half a day from Milan - and upon arrival I fully realized my mistake. Next time I set aside a week for Venice - in my opinion, this is the minimum that it deserves. The district of San Marco is a series of campos that flow from one another in a triangle between Piazza San Marco, the Accademia Bridge and the Rialto Bridge. In the center of the triangle is Campo San Fantin with the La Fenice Theater - this is the aristocratic center of San Marco.

Sights of Venice: San Marco, Piazzetta

For centuries, the main vestibule of the piazza (this is what is usually called the center of San Marco and, therefore, the whole of Venice) was piazzetta(Piazzetta) is on the shore of the lagoon, and if you come from the water (for example, by vaporetto from the Lido island), this will be the case for you too. There is another way to get to the piazza: on foot from the Santa Lucia railway station, through the ancient quarters of San Polo and Santa Croce, the canals and bridges across them, following the carefully posted “San Marco” signs. I will not undertake to say that one method is “more correct” than the other - I got there both ways, both have their own charm and charm, so if the situation allows, try both.
On the piazzetta, attention is drawn to two columns from which long tails hang.

Both columns were “borrowed” in 1172 in Constantinople (actually, three of them were stolen there, but one was drowned during unloading in Venice). On one of them is Saint Theodore, the patron saint of ancient, fishing Venice; Several Roman statues resembled his figure, and at his feet there was a monster like a crocodile, made up of 50 different fragments. On a nearby column, a 4th-century Persian chimera, which in Venice was called a “winged lion,” had a book slipped under its front paws and declared a symbol of St. Mark and the entire Republic in general.
In general, Piazzetta should be called the Exhibition of Achievements of Trophy Art. In front of the side facade of the cathedral, which looks directly at the piazzetta, there are two pylons; they are Syrian, 5th century, and brought as a trophy from Palestine in 1100. Four porphyry figures are built into the corner of the cathedral; According to legend, these are some Saracens who decided to steal something from the cathedral and were turned to stone for this. In fact, this is an Egyptian sculpture of the 4th century, depicting the tetrarchs - Diocletian and three other Roman rulers, but their poses really suggest theft: and here the Venetians are well versed in the subject, for the attitude towards theft in Venice was peculiar: if in other countries hands were chopped off for such a thing, then in Venice in the 18th century, pickpockets could hand over stolen goods to the state at a certain percentage - the republic, in principle, did not care how to make money - and this “trait” of it manifested itself more than once during the long history of the city-state.

Among Venetians, it is still considered a bad omen to walk between two columns: the fact is that it was in this place that from time immemorial the authorities demonstrated their punitive power, here was the place for a public demonstration of those executed by the verdict of the Council of Ten (the Venetian analogue of modern intelligence services) - no one has ever explained he didn’t, but everyone already knew that the execution was for betraying the interests of the Republic.

Sights of Venice: San Marco, Doge's Palace

Venetian Doge's Palace- one of the most unusual palaces of rulers in the world: The Republic, located on the islands under the protection of the most powerful fleet in Europe, could afford that its “government residence” was not a fortress.

Its openwork lower floor “carries” an impressive volume of the wall, and this entire structure somewhat resembles lace. In the era of its creation, such architecture of the Doge's Palace embodied fearlessness and openness, as well as a somewhat arrogant readiness to trade with everything and everyone: Venice did not even care about the direct prohibitions of the Vatican to trade strategic goods with the Turks. Between the Doge's Palace and the cathedral is the only example of Gothic architecture in Venice - the front gate, Porta della Map(Porta della Carta). If the Gothic style hardly penetrated into Venice, then the Renaissance masters had plenty of fun: in addition to the huge number of Venetian churches and secular buildings, on the Piazzetta itself this style is presented in the form Giant's Stairs

And Foscari arches, as well as in the form of a favorite object of Venetian guides, who associate a bunch of different tales with it - Bridge of Sighs(Ponte dei Sospiri).

Although guides offer different romantic versions, the harsh truth is that it is called the Bridge of Sighs because it leads from the Doge's Palace to the prison. In a special room in the palace, the verdict was announced and the convict was escorted across the bridge to the cell, so that it was there that the prisoners saw sunlight for the last time and sighed about it. By the way, this prison is known for the fact that it was almost impossible to escape from it (along with ordinary cells there were also so-called “lead” -piombi); however, it was from such a cell that one of the most famous Venetians of all time, Giacomo Casanova, managed to escape. He was imprisoned there, however, not for debauchery, for which he became widely known after the publication of his biography (this was never a crime in Venice), but for espionage. The piazza, the square in front of St. Mark's Basilica, is best viewed from the cathedral itself. Napoleon once called this beautiful and rather unusual square “the most elegant salon in Europe.”

Initially, the piazza was used for public festivities with a fair amount of commerce - that’s why it is a trading republic. At the edges they gave money in interest and collected taxes, while in the center they organized knightly tournaments and carnivals. It was here that the first establishment in Europe was opened where they served an unknown Turkish drink - coffee. In those days, travelers were surprised that no one was in a hurry on the piazza (“only those sentenced to the galleys work in Venice” is one opinion on this matter), but today it is an extremely busy, prestigious and expensive place.

Today, the traditions of that first coffee shop are worthily continued by the two most famous cafes in Venice - Florian and Quadri. The coffee they serve is wonderful, but you have to be prepared for extremely high prices - in fact, this applies to all establishments located on the piazza - you can symbolically drink coffee here, but I wouldn’t have lunch or dinner. The spacious piazza owes its appearance in Venice, where every meter is scrupulously built, to Doge Sebastiano Ziani, who bought up all the houses here in the 12th century and donated them to the city for demolition. The piazza acquired its current form during the Venetian “golden age” - XVI, at the same time, on the side farthest from the lagoon, the building of the Old Procurations was built - the house of procurators, that is, officials for the management of state real estate. As in some countries today, then in Venice this position was highly coveted, honorable and lucrative. But still, in Venice everything was more honest - due to the “profitability” of the place, the procurators, in principle, were not entitled to a salary. Around the same era, the Mint was located on the piazza - the place where the Venetian gold sequin was minted, the most stable and secure currency of the then Europe, the medieval analogue of the modern Swiss franc.

Sights of Venice: San Marco, St. Mark's Basilica

As exotic as it was possible in then Catholic Europe, the cathedral is considered one of its architectural wonders: it was built as a place to store the relics of St. Mark, modeled on another cathedral - the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople.

Venice of that time was considered the “beloved daughter” of the decrepit Byzantium, which, however, did not prevent the “daughter” from subsequently cynically robbing and almost killing the “mother” during the Fourth Crusade. The shape of the cathedral in the form of a Greek equal-armed cross also resembles the prototype. The first building, strange as it may seem to imagine in Venice, was very ascetic - until the then Doge called on the Venetian merchants to bring carvings from the East to decorate its facade. And yet, things went rather slowly until Doge Dandolo turned the Crusader army on defenseless Constantinople and the “Army of Christ” thoroughly plundered it - after which the façade of the cathedral was decorated with marble from the graves of the Byzantine emperors. By the way, the life story of Doge Dandolo and the history of the capture of Constantinople by the crusaders clearly speak of the role of “personality in history”: once the Byzantine emperor had the stupidity to short-sightedly insult and humiliate young Dandolo in violation of all diplomatic traditions of that time; the latter, apparently, did not forget the insult and, being already a very old man, took full revenge on the offender - Byzantium. And after that he died safely in the conquered great city; however, the old man’s story did not end there: when, 249 years later, Constantinople, which had never fully recovered from the treacherous blow of Venice and the Crusaders, finally fell under the blows of the Turks, Sultan Mehmed II Fatih ordered the remains of the old doge to be dug up and thrown to the dogs - this is how he expressed his attitude towards the betrayal of Venice and its ruler.

After viewing the paintings and frescoes of the cathedral, you should definitely go out onto the balcony with its stunning views of the lagoon and piazza, and where there is another trophy from the defeated Constantinople: a bronze quadriga, which until 1204 adorned the local hippodrome. But not only Dandolo coveted bronze horses: after the death of the republic, Napoleon took them to the Place de la Concorde in Paris, but after the Corsican abdicated power in 1815, the quadriga was returned to Venice. Maybe they would have returned to Constantinople-Istanbul, but this turn, presumably, would not have suited Russia, one of Napoleon’s conquerors and the permanent enemy of the Ottoman Empire.

Besides the balcony, it's worth a visit Treasury(Tesoro), where in a separate room you can see a knife that was used during the Last Supper, a piece of the skull of the Baptist, the foot of St. George, the finger of Mary Magdalene, the handwriting of the Evangelist Mark, the thorn of the Savior’s crown of thorns, three stones with which St. Stephen was killed, and also bowls and icon frames, all taken from the same Constantinople.

From the Treasury you can get to the altar part of the cathedral, where, as stated, the relics of St. Mark are kept in the sarcophagus. However, the story here is dark: either they died during the fire of 976, or miraculously survived and were only lost, and then discovered themselves during the reconstruction of the temple, sticking their hand out of the column. In any case, it will not be possible to verify their presence in the sarcophagus.

Altar of Pala d'Oro, consisting of 250 enamels fastened together with precious stones, was, oddly enough, not stolen in Constantinople, but decorously ordered and paid for - this happened even before Venice decided that the “old lady” had completely become decrepit.

Sights of Venice: San Marco, bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica

Usually, after leaving the cathedral, tourists climb onto campanile(campanile), bell tower of St. Mark's Cathedral.

The Campanile, the tallest building in the city (99 meters), in addition to the direct function of the bell tower, was also a watchtower, a lighthouse and a place of punishment: until the 14th century, priests caught in the sin of Sodom were hung from it in cages. The campanile acquired its current shape in 1514, when it was completely rebuilt at the personal expense of Admiral Grimani: after an unsuccessful naval operation, he needed to insure himself against arrest and trial (there was such a tradition in Venice in relation to unsuccessful military leaders). Grimani's maneuver should be considered successful - six years later he was elected doge. Interestingly, foreigners were only allowed to climb the campanile at high tide, when they could not see the system of shoals and channels in the lagoon from above.

It was from the bell tower that Goethe first saw the sea, and Galileo demonstrated his invention there - the telescope.

And on July 14, 1902, at 9:55 a.m., the Campanile of San Marco collapsed; the day before, a crack appeared along it and everyone was expecting a collapse - even orchestras were forbidden to play in the piazza. The tower did crumble, but so neatly that the nearby cathedral was not damaged at all, the Archangel Gabriel gracefully flew from the top and landed at its foot, and, according to rumors, only the cat running under the bell tower died. The restoration of one of the symbols of the city took 9 years and on April 25, 1912, the campanile was again opened to the public.

Sights of Venice, photos

Venice at night:

High tide in Piazza San Marco:

Life hack: how I save on hotels and insurance

In addition to traditional and well-known tools - such as Booking or Hotellook, new online services have recently appeared that make the life of a traveler much easier and pleasantly protect the thickness of his wallet. One of them - Roomguru– I use it myself all the time and recommend it to all my friends and acquaintances. This service compares prices for an object in 30 booking systems at once and offers you the most interesting options. In addition, it tracks discounts and special offers.

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Have an unforgettable experience exploring the sights of Venice!
Your Roman Mironenko (Rubezahl)

The remains of the Evangelist Mark have been carefully preserved in this temple for many centuries. It was, in fact, built to accommodate them. The founding date is considered to be 829, when the relics of the apostle were delivered to Venice. Previously, the body of the disciple of Christ was in one of the cathedrals of Alexandria, but in 828 it was stolen by the Venetian merchants Buono and Rustico. They were motivated by good intentions: to save the remains of Mark from the vandalism of Muslims, who at that time were destroying Christian churches in order to build mosques. Transporting the relic was associated with a certain risk, and in order to avoid being caught, they resorted to cunning. Mark's remains were placed in a large basket, and pig carcasses were thrown on top. They were sure that the Saracens (the population of the Arab Caliphate in the 5th-13th centuries) would not touch such “uncleanliness” at all when inspecting travelers. But to be extra safe, they hid the basket in the folds of the sail.

The predecessor of the basilica was the modest-sized Church of St. Theodore, which bore the name of the original patron of the city. When the body of the apostle was delivered in 829, the Doge (head of the republic) Partecipazio ordered the construction of another temple - majestic and luxurious. It had to correspond to the high purpose of storing the relics of the late evangelist, who became the new patron of Venice.

The news of the appearance of the shrine quickly spread throughout Europe, and the Cathedral of San Marco became one of the holy places especially revered by Christians. However, in 976 a misfortune happened - a fire. After this, the temple was rebuilt several times. The final reconstruction was consecrated in 1094. In this form, practically unchanged, the building of St. Mark's Cathedral has survived to this day, rising close to the Grand Canal (Canal Grande), the main “street” of modern Venice, stretching for 3800 meters.

Architecture of the Cathedral of San Marco

The prototypes of the Cathedral of San Marco were two Orthodox churches: the Church of the Holy Apostles, which existed in Constantinople from 330 to 1461, and the now functioning Istanbul St. Sophia Cathedral. The Venetian basilica has the shape of a Greek cross and is topped with a large dome at the intersection. There are five domes in total: the rest rise above the “branches” of the cross. The portals of the central facade, there are five of them, are decorated with mosaic tympanums of the 18th century, installed instead of outdated analogues of the 16th century. As a result of many reconstructions, various styles were combined in the appearance of the Cathedral of San Marco. Its surprisingly harmonious architectonics combines oriental marble and bas-reliefs in Romanesque and Greek styles, columns of various orders and capitals in the Gothic style, not to mention Byzantine and Italian sculptures. At the same time, it remains a classic Byzantine cross-domed basilica.

What to see in St. Mark's Basilica

The cathedral building stuns the imagination with its scale. It extends 43 meters in height, 76.5 meters in length, and 62.5 meters in width. Total area – 4000 sq. meters. The main facade (also known as the western façade) is a work of art: masterpieces from different eras are presented here, from ancient times to the Middle Ages. On the southern side - the one closer to the residence of the former heads of the republic - there are two columns delivered from Syria. They are decorated with Byzantine carvings from the 5th century. The statues of four tetrarchs (IV century) brought from Turkey stand on the outer corner of the treasury. The upper part of the main facade is decorated with thin turrets, they were added six centuries ago.

The altar and the central nave are separated from each other. Between them is an iconostasis from the late 14th century. The altar barrier made of colored marble is crowned with a large cross. On either side of it, in addition to the statues of the Evangelist Mark and the Virgin Mary, there are statues of all twelve disciples of Christ. The main cathedral altar, where, in fact, the relics of the apostle rest, is located under the ciborium. They were moved there from the crypt in 1835. The inlaid floor of the temple (XII century) is also marble and goes well with its external and internal decoration. The main altar, better known as the Pala d'Oro ("Golden Altar"), is priceless. It was created over almost five hundred years by Byzantine jewelers. It extends 2.51 meters in height and 3.34 meters in length. It consists of of 80 miniature icons, are called among the main treasures of the city. The icons are made using the technique of cloisonné enamel, inlaid with precious stones and decorated with gold. Some treasures were stolen by Napoleon in 1797. Most have survived and can still be seen today. In general, the treasury of the cathedral rich: priceless relics were brought back by the crusaders who sacked Constantinople.

The oldest mosaics, dating back to the 13th century, are preserved in the atrium, just behind the entrance. They reproduce scenes from the Torah (Old Testament Pentateuch), while mosaics inside the Church of San Marco show us biblical scenes from the Gospel. The dome that is closest to the main entrance is also the oldest. The mosaic decorating it illustrates how the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove on Pentecost. The grave of the ruler of Venice, Ordelaf Follier, and two other rulers of the republic are also located not far from the main entrance. And immediately behind it we see a memorial sign in honor of the historical reconciliation in 1177 of the Roman Pontiff Alexander III and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa.

The museum at the Church of St. Mark houses a quadriga made of gilded bronze. This is the only example of antique horse sculpture that has come down to us, made by the Greek master Lysippos. Once upon a time, around the 4th century BC. e., it crowned the Arches of Trajan. Bronze copies of horses can be seen on the loggia of the main facade. The museum also houses examples of early mosaics. There is a balcony above the main entrance from which you can admire the panorama of Piazza San Marco. But when planning to visit the temple, do not forget that it is active, so there are certain requirements for clothing. You are not allowed to enter with large bags, talk loudly, take photographs or film videos.

Working hours

On weekdays the basilica is open from 9:45 to 17:00. On Sundays and holidays it is open from 14:00 to 17:00, in winter until 16:00. The entrance is free. The Museum of St. Mark's Basilica welcomes visitors from 9:45 to 16:45. You can get to the bell tower in summer from 9:00 to 21:00, in winter - until 15:45.

How to get there

There is an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Venice. In St. Petersburg you can board the Italian air carrier AirOne.

Another option: travel by train from Moscow to Nice. It goes through Verona, from which Venice is only an hour away if you take an express train.

There is a water bus from the local Santa Lucia train station to St. Mark's Cathedral (routes 1, 2 and 51). Travel time is approximately 25 minutes. You can walk, but it takes longer - 30-45 minutes.

St. Mark's Basilica (or St. Mark's Basilica) is one of the most beautiful and most visited buildings in Venice. It is the cathedral church of the city's Roman Catholic archdiocese, and one of the most magnificent examples of Italian-Byzantine architecture in the world. The cathedral is located in Piazza San Marco, next to the Doge's Palace. Initially it was a court chapel at the palace, but since 1807 the shrine received the status of a cathedral.

Oro", which was installed in 1105. A year later, there was a fire in the basilica and the golden mosaics were severely damaged. Today it is no longer possible to admire the original collections, since they are being restored, and only some works from the 11th century are on display, which have been preserved on the central porch.

During the 13th century, most of the mosaic was completed, as well as the new façade and vestibule. The basic structure of the cathedral has remained almost unchanged since then, only the decorations have been redesigned over time. Recent additions to the cathedral building include the Chapel of St. Isidore, added in the early 14th century, new paintings in the sacristy dating from the 15th century, and the Zen Chapel, completed in the 16th century.

The appearance of the western (main) facade is divided into three registers: lower, upper and domed. At the bottom of the facade there are five arched portals surrounded by marble columns, behind which there are beautiful bronze doors leading to the narthex. In the upper part of the lower register there are mosaics with scenes from the life of Christ. The lunettes of the lateral portals are replete with mosaics that show scenes from the life of St. Mark. In the upper register there are several statues that "look over" the city. Particularly notable among them are the statues of four Warrior Saints: Theodosius, St. Mark, Constantine and Demetrius.

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The interior of the basilica is based on Greek style, and the amazing 12th century marble floors are decorated with stunningly beautiful animal designs and geometric patterns. Another interesting thing is that the interior of the basilica is divided into lower and upper registers, delimited by passages that replaced the former galleries. The interior of the upper levels is completely covered with gold mosaics.

Today in the Cathedral of St. Mark you can see the relics of the Apostle Mark, as well as many valuable objects of art that were taken from Constantinople during the Crusades.

And also, when going to this amazing Italian city, it’s worth finding out about.