Welcome to the only place in Venice called a piazza: every other square is a campo. The arcades around it are the Procuratie, seat of the Procurators of St Mark, the high magistrates who ran the basilica and its property.

1A stolen saint

In 828 two Venetian merchants, Buono da Malamocco and Rustico da Torcello, smuggled the body of St Mark the Evangelist out of Alexandria. According to tradition, they hid it under pork so that the Muslim inspectors would not search it. The basilica was built to house it. The present church was begun in 1063 and consecrated in 1094. Look at the arch on the far left: its 13th-century mosaic is the only old one left on the facade, and it shows the body being carried into the church.

The bronze horses came from Constantinople after the sack of 1204. Napoleon carried them off to Paris in 1797 and they returned in 1815. Those on the facade are copies: the originals are inside, in the museum.

2"Com'era, dov'era"

On 14 July 1902 the bell tower collapsed in on itself. No one was killed. The city decided to rebuild it "as it was, where it was", and it was reopened on 25 April 1912, St Mark's Day. Venetians call it el paròn de casa, the master of the house.

A practical note: on certain spring and summer days, day-trippers usually have to pay a contributo di accesso, an access fee. Check the calendar on the Comune's official website before you come.

3What to look for

  • The mosaic on the left-hand arch of the basilica.
  • The four horses above the central door.
  • The golden angel crowning the bell tower.
A mountain of rubble from St Mark's bell tower after its collapse in 1902
The rubble of the bell tower, which fell on 14 July 1902.

Documented

The present basilica was consecrated in 1094 to house the body of St Mark, brought from Alexandria in 828; the bell tower collapsed on 14 July 1902 and was reopened on 25 April 1912.

Oral tradition

The story that the saint's body was hidden under pork to fool the inspectors is a traditional tale.

Sources and credits

Procuratoria di San Marco, official website of St Mark's Basilica; Otto Demus, «The Church of San Marco in Venice» (Dumbarton Oaks, 1960); Comune di Venezia, Contributo di accesso portal.

Photos:

  • St Mark's Square with the basilica at the far end and the brick bell tower: Armin Kleiner, CC BY-SA 4.0.
  • A mountain of rubble from St Mark's bell tower after its collapse in 1902: Autor desconocido, Dominio público.

Spotted a mistake? Drop us a line and we’ll look into it.