San Marco by the Numbers

Also see related article: Hotels Near the Piazza San Marco

The Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, is undoubtedly the most popular tourist destination in Venice. You're bound to visit it at least once even on a day trip to the city, so here's a list of landmarks and attractions (keyed to the photo above) to help you get your bearings:

1. Valaresso vaporetto stop. The No. 1 vaporetto or waterbus stops at these floating platforms. Pay attention to the signs to make sure you're headed for the right boat, in the right direction. (Note to Hemingway fans: Harry's Bar is located a few steps inland.)

2. San Marco Giardinetti boat platforms. Alilaguna airport boatss use this stop.

3. Giardini ex Reali. The city's public gardens open onto the waterfront through an iron gate. On a sunny day, you'll see dozens of cats taking their leisure on the paths and park benches. The freestanding white building at the left (west) end of the gardens is the tourist-office headquarters; a public toilet is also nearby.

4. Museo Civico Correr. The "Museum of the City and the Civilization of Venice" is a treasure trove of paintings, sculptures, clothing, maps, coins, armor, and other objects from the city's glory days.

5. Procuratie Vecchie. This arcaded office building, now owned by an insurance company, was constructed in the early 1500s after a fire destroyed its predecessor. Shops and cafés occupy the ground floor, under the arcade.

6. Torre dell'Orologio. Animated statues of Moors use hammers to strike the hours at the Clock Tower. Underneath is a passage leading to the Mercerie, the series of shopping streets that connect San Marco to the Rialto Bridge.

7. Campanile di San Marco. You can climb stairs or ride an elevator to the top of the Bell Tower for an aerial view of the city. (The Campanile was taken over briefly by Northern Italian separatists in May, 1997. No one was hurt in the slapstick hijacking by the "Most Serene Venetian Army.")

8. Basilica di San Marco. This vast cathedral is famous for its Byzantine domes and gilded mosaics. It was built to honor St. Mark after the saint's bones were kidnapped from Alexandria, Egypt in the 9th Century.

9. Palazzo Ducale. The Doge's Palace housed Venice's rulers for more than six centuries. It connects to the adjacent Prigioni Nuove ("New Prisons") via the Bridge of Sighs.

10. Procuratie Nuove. This building was intended to replace the Procuratie Vecchie when it was constructed in the late 16th Century. Today, it houses a wing of the Museo Correr, the Museo Archeologio, the and the Caffè Florian, which has catered to the cognoscenti since 1720.

11. Zecca. The former Venetian Mint is occupied by the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, a research library with more than 900,000 books and 13,000 manuscripts.

Related articles

Piazza San Marco
Napoleon called it "the finest drawing room in Europe," but how many living rooms have pigeons and outdoor caffè tables?

Campanile di San Marco
Venice's 325-foot bell tower isn't what it appears to be, but the view from the top is unsurpassed.

Bridge of Sighs
Lord Byron romanticized this elevated corridor for criminals, and you can cross it as a paying customer rather than as a prisoner.

Cats of Venice
Forget the Lion of St. Mark--Venice's real-life mascots are feline, but they're a good deal smaller and more abundant than their African cousins. (This article includes photos of cats in the former Royal Gardens.)

Local transportation
When you hail a taxi, don't step off the curb--and if you chase after a departing bus, make sure you're wearing a lifejacket.

Photo: Aztech New Media Corp.

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