Italy Piazza San Marco. Cathedral of San Marco. What is Piazza San Marco famous for?

It is present both on the flag and on the coat of arms of Venice. main square Venice - St. Mark's Square - is sometimes called the square of the soaring lions. This is probably why hundreds of pigeons allow themselves to roam imposingly in the very heart of Venice with noble aristocracy. Pigeons so organically fit into the magnificent architectural ensemble squares that the Venetians themselves consider them a harmonious frame of this, according to Napoleon, "the most beautiful salon in the world."

St. Mark's Square can really be called a hall under open sky. Piazza di San Marco is a closed space 176 m long and 82 m wide. In the entire history of its existence, this square has not heard the roar of horse-drawn cart wheels, and even more so, the rustle of car tires.

the only Venetian square, awarded the proud name piazza, unlike other campi, is conventionally divided into 3 parts: directly the main one - Piazza, Piazzetta - the path from the Grand Canal to the San Marco bell tower and the Lion's Square - a small space in front of St. Mark's Cathedral. Initially, the Basilica of St. Mark was the house church of the Doge - representatives of noble Venetian families. In the XI century it was rebuilt and the relics of the heavenly patron of the city - St. Mark were placed in it. The solemn consecration of the cathedral in 1094 did not stop the flight of creative ideas of virtuoso architects. The building continued to be completed and decorated. Five columns and sculptures of portals framed by tiers and luxurious marble decor of the facades only complement the exquisite mosaics above the entrances to the cathedral. The interior decoration is also impressive. The mosaics here number in the thousands of square meters, many of them are made of pure gold. No less magnificent are the shades of marble abundant in the decoration of the cathedral. Crowned by all five giant lead domes with gilded crosses. In the cathedral, considered the Doge's Chapel, the most paradoxical decisions in the history of jurisprudence were consecrated. So, records of the law adopted in 1460, which commanded the Venetian citizens to be kinder, more affectionate and eat better, so that their seductive forms distract men from homosexuality that was spreading in those days, have been preserved. But this is from a series of curiosities. Miracles occurring at the relics of the Apostle Mark still attract crowds of believers to the cathedral.

Church of Saint Mark.

Directly in front of the cathedral, the solid brick tower of the bell tower of San Marco soars skyward, the construction and reconstruction of which lasted from 888 to 1517. The Venetians called her "master of the house." The most high point the bell tower is at around 96.8 meters - this is the most tall building cities. It was on this bell tower that the “presentation” of the telescope invented by Galileo Galilei took place. Previously, the tower served as a lighthouse for ships returning from sailing. Now at the top there is a gilded statue of an angel, swaying from the breath of the wind. Suddenly collapsed in 1902, within 10 years it was completely restored.

In 1537-1549. at the foot of the bell tower was built a small open gallery - logetta. Light, decorated with arches, columns and statues, it is in perfect harmony with the monumental bell tower.

At the end of the 15th century, the Clock Tower, consonant with the Cathedral of St. Mark, adorned the square. The huge dial of the tower marks not only the fleeting time, but also the lunar phases, the position of the Sun according to the signs of the Zodiac and the days of the week. According to legend, the Venetians, fearing that their unique watch could be replicated elsewhere, blinded the craftsmen who made it. Above the dial there is a sculpture of the Madonna, past which on the Ascension Day the magi bowing to her and trumpeting angels pass every hour. At the top of the tower is a gilded lion of St. Mark. The composition is completed by a bell, which for several centuries in a row has been beaten by two bronze guards with hammers every hour.

The main entrance to the city is decorated light air the architecture of the Library and the original monumental Doge's Palace. Both buildings echo each other with arcades, sculptural decor, and openwork cornices. Next to the Library rises the Mint, built entirely of stone and iron, so cleverly planned that, according to the Italian artist and architect Vasari, there is no more reasonable and reliable mint anywhere in the world.

The architectural symphony is completed by two red marble columns. The base of the columns is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting various arts and crafts. Capitals - a marble sculpture of St. Theodore with a dragon, and a symbol of St. Mark's Square - a bronze sculpture of the Winged Lion.

And this is how Piazza San Marco looks like during a flood in Venice.

St. Mark's Cathedral (Basilika San Marco) is located on the square of the same name next to and is a magnificent architectural example of the Byzantine style. The cathedral is world-famous and a must-see when sightseeing in Venice.

Besides that this cathedral is a wonderful piece of architecture interesting history, it contains the relics of the Evangelist St. Mark, for the worship of which many believers come here. It is also kept here a large number of works of art brought from Constantinople, and the interior of the cathedral and numerous mosaics will impress even sophisticated tourists.

St. Mark's Cathedral is also a monument world heritage UNESCO.

The History of St. Mark's Basilica

The history of the emergence of St. Mark's Cathedral dates back to 828, when, according to legend, the relics of the Apostle Mark were taken from Constantinople by two Venetian merchants Rustico and Buono.

The relics of the saint were transported specifically in order to protect them from the coming destruction of Christian cathedrals by Muslims. The Apostle Mark to this day is the guardian of Venice.

By the way, this legend is told by a mosaic on one of the walls of the basilica.

Construction of the basilica

Immediately after the relics of the Apostle Mark were in the possession of Venice, the construction of the Basilica of San Marco began, which was completed in 832 under Doge Giovanni Partecipazio. Unfortunately, soon the basilica completely burned down due to a fire, but by 1063 a new one was built in its place.

For the construction of St. Mark's Cathedral, deciduous wood was used, which at that time was used throughout Venice due to its properties. The fact is that larch is able to save long time their original qualities even when in contact with water.

Throughout history, the Basilica of San Marco has played an important religious and political role in the life of Venetian society. Any important event, whether it's the coronation of a doge, folk celebrations or setting off on a journey famous discoverers, took place here, under the auspices of St. Mark.

Architecture of St. Mark's Basilica

Beautiful marble decorative elements, columns and statues - St. Mark's Cathedral is simply made to admire.

Facade

The shape and architecture of St. Mark's Cathedral is unique: the cathedral is built in the form of a Greek cross and has 5 domes. total area Basilica is 4000 square meters, and the height is 43 meters.

Interior

The interior of the cathedral was made in full accordance with the Venetian style adopted at that time. The main part of the basilica is decorated with exquisite Romanesque carvings, made at the beginning of the 13th century, and the interior decoration is replete with picturesque mosaics of the same time. Indeed, this cathedral is the keeper of not only the relics of the saint, but also masterpieces of art.

Unfortunately, the mosaics have not been completely preserved to this day and many of them have been replaced by paintings by Tintoretto and Titian.

The icons in this cathedral are also made in the form of mosaics and reproduce scenes from the life of St. Mark. Numerous mosaic paintings on the ceiling of the basilica tell of scenes from the Old Testament.

At the entrance to the reliquary, where the relics of the saint are kept, huge bronze doors decorated with lion heads attract attention.

golden altar

You can endlessly admire the decoration of the cathedral and the magnificent mosaics that literally permeate the walls of the basilica, but the most valuable part of it is the altar part. The real Venetian treasury and shrine of shrines is kept here - the famous "golden altar" (Pala d'Oro).

Just imagine that the construction of the "golden altar" took about 500 years! The altar impresses with its size: its height is 2.51 meters and its length is 3.34 meters.

The jewelry wealth of the altar exceeds all conceivable boundaries. The altar consists of 80 miniature icons framed in gold and decorated with various precious stones.

How to get to St. Mark's Basilica

If you have planned a visit to St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, then you will not have to look for it for a long time. The basilica is located on the square of the same name, not far from the famous Doge's Palace.

Opening hours

The basilica is open from 9.45 am to 5.00 pm, and on holidays and Sundays the time for visiting the basilica is reduced from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm. The opening hours of the museum coincide with the time for visiting the basilica. But the "golden altar" can be viewed only until 16.00.

Cost of visiting

Entrance to St. Mark's Basilica is free, but to visit the museum you need to pay 5 Euros. The Pala d'oro altarpiece can be viewed for an additional 2 Euros. Ticket prices are as of 2019.

The official website of St. Mark's Basilica www.basilicasanmarco.it.

Visit also

Of course, acquaintance with Venice should begin with a visit to Piazza San Marco, where you can see not only St. Mark's Cathedral, but also famous Palace doges located nearby.

The Doge's Palace is known as the residence of the Venetian doges and is the central building of Venice. In addition to interesting architectural performance, the palace is famous for the huge number of works of art stored within its walls, and the historical significance of its halls.

In the Doge's Palace, not only tribunals and meetings of the first representatives of power were held, but justice was also administered.

From the Doge's Palace you can go to the infamous connecting magnificent palace with a prison where the convicts were sent after the verdict. By the way, Casanova was also imprisoned in this prison - the only prisoner who managed to escape from this terrible place.

Excursions in Venice

If you're looking for something a little more interesting than the traditional city tour on a map, then try this new format of sightseeing. IN modern time are becoming more and more popular unusual excursions from the locals! After all, who better than a local resident knows the history and most interesting places Venice?

You can view all excursions and choose the most intriguing one on the website.

The square changed a lot in the 15th-17th centuries. Then a decision was made on a new project for this territory, which was provided by the architect Sansovino. It was thanks to these changes that the old buildings around the perimeter were demolished and new ones built, most of which have survived to this day. Among all other buildings of this building, one can distinguish such as the Library, the buildings of the New Procurations, the Clock Tower, the Mint.

Piazza San Marco has always attracted artists from all over the world. Many canvases show us the state of this place in different times. characteristic feature square until the 18th century (and it was then that a new restoration took place) was its pattern, lined with red brick, “drawing” a kind of Christmas tree. During the restoration, the red bricks were replaced with gray tiles, which greatly undermined the beauty and popularity of this part of Venice among artists.

The most popular sights of St. Mark's Square today are:, Columns, Old and New Procurations, Ala Napoleonica. And even among them, even more popular buildings can be distinguished - this is the Cathedral of San Marco and the Doge's Palace. This is where you will see the most high building Venice - the bell tower of St. Mark's Cathedral, whose height is almost 99 meters, in the past, it was a beacon for those ships that entered the lagoon.

Pigeons are the most recognizable inhabitants of Piazza San Marco. Moreover, there are so many of them here due to the fact that almost all tourists feed them, contributing to an increase in their number. By the way, you can do it too, food is sold right there :) And for people there are wonderful cafes that are famous for their delicious coffee and desserts.

Piazza San Marco
Address : Piazza San Marco, Venezia, Italy

Cathedral of San Marco (Italy) - description, history, location. The exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The Cathedral of San Marco is perhaps the most visited temple in Venice and one of the most popular tourist attractions. It is located in the city center - on St. Mark's Square near the Doge's Palace. The Cathedral of San Marco is famous not only for its stunning architecture in the Byzantine style, but also because it is in this temple that the relics of the Apostle Mark are located. In addition, here you can see many art objects brought from Constantinople during the time of the Crusades.

Architects used several tens of thousands of larch piles to build the Cathedral of San Marco. The fact is that this tree, when in contact with water, becomes very durable, which is the best suited for the construction of buildings in Venice.

The history of the Cathedral of San Marco began in 828. Two Venetian merchants Buono and Rustico, while in Alexandria, decided at all costs to save the relics of the Apostle Mark and deliver them to their hometown. The fact is that the Italians became aware of the upcoming construction of mosques on the site of Christian churches. When the merchants realized that there would simply be nothing left of the churches, they decided to take such a serious step. It is worth noting that Buono and Rustico developed a cunning plan. They hid Mark's body in a basket under the pig carcasses and thus transferred the relics to their ship. After the evangelist's body was brought to Venice, Saint Mark became the patron of the city, and the winged lion became the symbol of Venice.

The temple was built in the shape of a Greek cross. The height of the cathedral is 43 meters, the area is 4000 square meters.

The construction of the church began in 829. The construction of the Cathedral of San Marco took only three years. Unfortunately, the original appearance of the building has not been preserved - the building was badly damaged during a fire. The modern temple was built in 1063. In subsequent years, the cathedral became more and more beautiful. The architects used several tens of thousands of larch piles to build the basilica. The fact is that this tree, when in contact with water, becomes very durable, which is the best suited for the construction of buildings in Venice.

By the way, the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Constantinople is considered the prototype of the temple. The basilica played an important role in the life of Venice. Doges were crowned in the cathedral, sent on distant wanderings famous sailors, residents of the city gathered here on holidays and days of national disasters.

The Cathedral of San Marco is still active today - as in any temple, services are held here. The basilica houses one of the main Venetian shrines - the golden altar, or Pala D`Oro. It consists of 80 small icons richly decorated with gold and stones. The altar is unique - it took almost 500 years to create it.

The Cathedral of San Marco is richly decorated with mosaics, statues of saints, columns, numerous decorative elements and marble.

Practical Information

A tour of the Cathedral of San Marco lasts about 10 minutes. Visitors must be appropriately dressed - do not visit the temple in defiant outfits. Photo and video filming is prohibited. Entrance to the Basilica is free.

Opening hours from November to April: 9:30-17:00, Sunday and public holidays: 14:00-16:00. Museum opening hours: 9:45-16:45, ticket price - 5 EUR. Pala D`Oro opening hours: 9:45-16:00, Sundays and holidays: 14:00-16:00, ticket price - 2 EUR. Opening hours of the treasury: 9:45-16:00, Sundays and public holidays: 14:00-16:00, ticket price - 3 EUR.

Opening hours from April to November: Basilica: 9:45-17:00, Sundays and public holidays: 14:00-17:00. Museum: 09:45-16:45, Pala D`Oro: 09:45-17:00, Sundays and holidays: 14:00-17:00. Opening hours of the treasury: 9:45-17:00, Sundays and public holidays: 14:00-17:00.

Opening hours of the bell tower: October - 9:00-19:00, November - April: 9:30-15:45, April - June: 9:00-19:00, June 13 - September: 8:30-21:30 . Ticket price - 8 EUR.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

History of occurrence

The square is named after the Apostle Mark thanks to the diligence of two Venetian merchants who in 829 stole the relics of the Saint in Alexandria, secretly delivering them to Venice. The sly ones overlaid the sarcophagus with pig carcasses, so the Arabs, being Muslims, could not carefully examine the cargo. Returning home, the merchants placed the relics in St. Mark's Basilica, which was specially built for this purpose. But as a result of the palace coup, the building was badly damaged by fire. In its place, in 1063, the construction of the Cathedral of San Marco began. The area in front of the building gradually expanded, reaching its current size. It hosted festive processions, carnivals, bullfights and even executions.

architectural landmarks

Piazza San Marco consists of two parts: Piazzetta and Piazza. Piazzetta is the platform from the Grand Canal to the bell tower, and Piazza is the square itself in front of St. Mark's Cathedral.

Attractions of Piazzetta:

Columns of St. Mark and Theodore. Having descended from the vaporetto, two marble columns appear before the gaze of the traveler. One of them is crowned with a sculpture of St. Theodore, the former patron of the city, and the second is a sculpture of a winged lion, which is a symbol of St. Mark. These columns are conditional gates, but not a single Venetian passes between them. Previously, commoners were executed here, and local residents often observed another hanged man dangling on a rope in the morning, so walking between the columns is considered a bad omen and bad form.

Doge's Palace. The Doge is the ruler of Venice. your residence in gothic style, which has been preserved in perfect condition to this day, was built between the 14th and 15th centuries by the Doji, designed by the architect Filippo Calendario. The rulers worked and lived in the palace. acted here Supreme Court, the Senate and the Great Council met, and the balcony built on top served as a platform from which the Doge made speeches, revealing himself to the people. In addition to administrative and legal institutions, there was a prison in the Doge's Palace, from which Giacomo Casanova fearlessly escaped in 1756. On the second floor of the building there is a colonnade, where between the 9th and 10th columns the imprisoned nobles were executed. These columns stand out sharply from the rest in a dirty pink color. According to legend, over time, they changed color from shame and grief.

Marks the end of the Piazzetta. This is the tallest building in Venice, from which the entire city is visible at a glance. Today, a high-speed elevator delivers tourists to a height of 96 meters. The bell tower is made in the style of the Early Renaissance and used to serve as a lighthouse for ships.

Attractions Piazza:

Cathedral of Saint Mark. Piazza San Marco is surrounded by buildings on three sides, so at first glance it gives the impression of a huge matchbox. Here is the most amazing building in Venice - Cathedral. It began to be built in the 11th century and has been frequently reconstructed since then. The building is made in the Venetian style. It contains the relics of the Evangelist Mark and many art objects brought from Constantinople during the Crusades. Today St. Mark's Cathedral is a UNESCO heritage.

Opening hours and ticket prices

1. Cathedral of San Marco

During the high season, the basilica is open from 9.45 to 17.00. Sunday and religious holidays from 14.00 to 17.00. Free admission.

The Treasury receives visitors at the same time. The entrance ticket costs 3 euros.

Museum of Saint Mark is open from 9.45 to 16.45. Ticket price - 4 euros.

Pala d'Oro in weekdays open from 9.45 to 17.00. And on weekends and holidays - from 14.00 to 17.00. The entrance ticket will cost 2 euros.

IN low season All institutions close one hour earlier.

2. Doge's Palace

From April to October, the Doge's Palace is available for visiting from 8.30 to 19.00. And from November to March, the attraction operates on a reduced schedule - from 8.30 to 17.30. The price of a combined ticket was 17 euros. It is also valid for entering Archaeological Museum, the Correr Museum and the San Marco National Library.

From July to September, the bell tower is open from 9.00 to 21.00. In March, April, October - from 9.00 to 19.00. In November and Easter on a short schedule - from 9.30 to 15.45. The entrance ticket costs 8 euros.

Where to eat delicious

After a busy excursion, an appetite will be played out. But we do not recommend dining in one of the many cafes in Piazza San Marco. Only for a cup of coffee they ask 10 euros. And the bill for the main Venetian dishes such as Moleche, Risotto nero and Fegato alla veneziana can be 100 euros. So it's better to stay away from tourist center. Expensive doesn't always mean delicious. Establishments on the square are accustomed to a large influx of tourists and are not always cooked to the conscience. It is not so important for restaurant owners whether customers like the food or not: after a day or two, they will leave, and new ones will come in their place. To eat tasty and economically, it is better to go to residential areas, where there are inexpensive restaurants frequented by local residents. They are in the Castello area on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, and in the Canareggio quarter along the Fondamenta della Misericordia and Fondamenta degli Ormesini.