{"id":3718,"date":"2020-01-23T09:58:47","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T09:58:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/st-marks-basilica-venice\/"},"modified":"2024-07-22T15:03:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T15:03:18","slug":"st-marks-basilica-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/st-marks-basilica-venice\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A True Symbol of Venice and must-see for any visitor, St. Mark’s Basilica stands as an iconic symbol of the City of Doges. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide<\/em>!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u26a0\ufe0f St. Mark’s Basilica is extremely popular. <\/strong> To avoid wasting time in long lines<\/strong>, consider booking a skip-the-line ticket<\/a><\/strong> or a guided tour<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Insider Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83c\udf1f Top tip:<\/strong> Free guided city tour<\/a> (in English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Accommodations:<\/strong> all our tips & recommendations <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Plan Your Trip:<\/strong> the complete guide to Venice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc76 Visiting Venice with Kids:<\/strong> all our best tips<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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First, a Bit of History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

St. Mark, Patron Saint of Venice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It might seem obvious today that St. Mark is the patron saint of Venice, but this wasn’t always the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until the 9th century, Venice was under the protection of St. Theodore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in 828, two Venetian merchants, Buono of Malamocco and Rustico of Torcello, stole the remains of the evangelist Mark from Alexandria and brought them back to Venice on the orders of Doge Giustiniano Participazio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Republic of Venice then abandoned St. Theodore and made Mark its patron saint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Churches Dedicated to St. Mark<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 832, the first church dedicated to St. Mark was built on the site of the chapel of the Doge’s Palace<\/a> (Palazzo Ducale<\/em>). This church was destroyed by a fire in 976 and was rebuilt in 978. However, this second building was also destroyed shortly after its construction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Mark’s Basilica Since the 11th Century<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The construction of the current St. Mark’s Basilica began in 1063. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, Doge Domenico Contarini aimed to make the future basilica a true symbol of Venetian power, drawing inspiration from the basilicas of Constantinople, particularly the Church of the Holy Apostles. It is believed that he even enlisted Byzantine architects to design the basilica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After many years of construction, St. Mark’s Basilica was consecrated in 1094. However, it continued to evolve over the centuries, accumulating numerous treasures and tributes from the far reaches of the East, such as the famous Horses of St. Mark adorning its sumptuous facade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"St.<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Visiting St. Mark’s Basilica: What to See and Do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Exterior of St. Mark’s Basilica<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With its monumental dimensions (76.5 meters long, 62.6 meters wide and 45 meters high \/ 249 ft x 203 ft x 147 ft), its five domes, and its magnificent facade adorned with mosaics and sculptures, St. Mark’s Basilica, showcasing Gothic and Byzantine styles, is truly awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The facade is so richly decorated that it can be overwhelming. Among the splendid ornaments gracing the exterior of the basilica, Captain Ulysses recommends not missing: <\/p>\n\n\n\n