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Basilica di San Marco
From: Venice's Top 11 Free Sights
ABOVE: The gilded mosaic interior of St. Mark's Basilica.
The
Basilica di San Marco (in English, St. Mark's Basilica) is both a house
of worship and a monument to plunder: It was built to house the bones of St.
Mark, whose remains had been stolen from Egypt by a pair of Venetian merchants,
and the building is filled with sculptures, religious objects, and other booty
that was hauled back from Constantinople and other faraway places during the
Christian Crusades.
The
cathedral's exterior is a riot of Byzantine architecture, with five domes and
more decoration than a nouveau riche wedding cake. The interior is equally spectacular,
with gold mosaics that come to life when the church is illuminated from 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Entrance to the Basilica is free, though it's polite to leave a donation. You'll need to buy tickets if you want to visit the San Marco Museum, the Treasury, and the Golden Altarpiece. For visitor information, click the article link below.
Related article on our main site:
Next page: Venice Waterfront (St. Mark's Basin)
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Top photo copyright © Danin Tulic.
