About This Location
Saint Mark’s Basilica is the showpiece church of Piazza San Marco, built to express Venice’s power and faith in stone, gold, and glass. The present building rose mainly between 1063 and 1094, and it was dedicated on 8 October 1094, when the relics of Saint Mark were placed in a new crypt. The architecture is strongly influenced by the Byzantine world. The plan is a Greek cross crowned by five domes, designed to make a bold impression from the square and from the lagoon. Inside, the basilica is famous for its gold-ground mosaics, created over centuries and covering about 8,000 square meters. In changing light, the walls and vaults seem to shift from warm amber to bright gold. Near the high altar is one of its greatest treasures, the Pala d’Oro - a masterpiece of Byzantine enamel and goldwork, begun in Constantinople in the early 1100s and expanded over time. It is a reminder of Venice’s deep ties with the eastern Mediterranean. Look up to the facade loggia and the story continues outside: the famous bronze Horses of Saint Mark arrived after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. The originals are now kept indoors for conservation, with replicas displayed on the exterior.