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St. Mark's corpse had
almost as tough a time as Hector's (dragged three times around the city of Troy
by Achilles). First the Christians of Alexandria had to fight off pagans who
wanted to cremate the body. Then the Venetians had to steal it from Alexandria in
828 because Muslims were going to desecrate the church where it was installed. To
get the remains out of Egypt, the Venetians allegedly hid them between slices of
pork, calculated to deter inspection by Islamic customs officials. The body was
thought lost in a fire in the first Basilica San Marco in the year 976, but
"reappeared when the new church was consecrated in 1094." Now it sits in a white
marble tomb front and center of the magnificent Basilica that sits front and
center in the magnificent Piazza San Marco that sits front and center in the life
of the tourist.
San Marco the sestiere has been the focus of Venetian life and
government for centuries.
Piazza San Marco
The Piazza itself assumed its present form in the Renaissance. It is the only
space in Venice that is called "piazza". Everything else is simply a "campo"
(field) or "piazzetta". It is also one of the lowest points in the city and
frequently flooded.
The buildings lining the Piazza were originally constructed as offices
for government employees. Today, the Piazza offers two famous cafes,
Florian and Quadri, with outdoor seating. At the northeast corner is
the clock tower, completed in 1506, with a Latin inscription that
translates to "I number only peaceful hours."
For overview photos of the Piazza, go to the upstairs gallery and
museum of the cathedral, or take the elevator to the top of the
Campanile.
Basilica San Marco
The Byzantine cathedral (1094) is famous for its mosaics, inside and out, the
four gilded bronze horses on the front, and the Pala d'Oro altarpiece.
Photography is forbidden, but enforcement is lax. The mosaics are
illuminated every day between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
The upstairs gallery is a great place to take pictures of Piazza San Marco and the Piazzetta.
Once you've paid your fee to get behind the Pala D'Oro, there is
nobody to stop you from taking pictures of gawking tourists.
Campanile
At 325 ft. high, the tallest structure in the city. The original
collapsed in 1902; the modern structure was completed in 1912. This
is the place to go for aerial views of the city. In peak season,
arrive at 0900 sharp to avoid waiting in line for the elevator.
Piazzeta
The Piazzetta connects the Piazza to the water, running in front of
the Palazzo Ducale. The statues and columns were taken from Tyre (in
present-day Lebanon) in 1170. The space between the columns was used
for public executions.
Doge's Palace
The Palazzo Ducale, or "Doge's Palace", contains a lot of big rooms,
very nicely decorated by Tintoretto, Veronese, and other famous
Venetian artists. The "Bridge of Sighs" leads from here into the
adjacent prison, from which Casanova escaped.
Photography is forbidden within the Palace, but enforcement as of 2007 was rather lax.
The palace contains the world's largest oil painting,
Paradiso by Tintoretto. My favorite painting, however, is a
ceiling work depicting a dog, who illustrates the virtue of "Loyalty."
Pay an extra 8 euro for the audio guide or risk severe
confusion inside the Doge's Palace.
Riva degli Schiavoni
The Riva degli Schiavoni is the waterfront street that connects San
Marco to Castello. This is a great place to take pictures of tourists
taking pictures of the Bridge of Sighs.
The Rest
San Marco is where you'll find most of the luxury shops and hotels as well as
most services geared to tourists. It can sometimes be difficult to find humbler
shops selling things necessary for residents, which is another reason why
Venetians like to grumble that tourists have ruined everything and that they city
is declining before their eyes.
We were a short walk from Piazza San Marco, which is anchored by the beautiful St. Marks Basilica and Doges Palace. We took a $15 guided tour through the secret itineraries of the palace. It was a combination of White House, Senate, torture chamber, and prison. We learned about the politics of this ancient city and toured the meeting rooms, prison cells (1st and 2nd class) and the torture chamber for those stubborn traitors who wouldnt confess. Creepy! Casanova was a crafty prisoner who escaped only to return to Venice years later with a bit of fame.
The ceiling art and statues in Doges Palace were astounding. Most of it had been restored. The paintings depicted horrible violence and tumult in a somewhat beautiful way. And every painting always included a few naked people. The marble carvings embedded in the ceilings were no exception. I guess its not really art without some portly nudes.
One of the rooms displayed the weaponry of the time. From the steel armament and body casings to the swords and assorted weapons, I couldnt help thinking how much war and violence played a part in Venetian history. Before gunpowder, these territorial wars must have been far more personal. To ram one of these gruesome swords through another human to win the battle was entirely more personal than shooting from a distance or dropping bombs from an airplane. These paintings and historical leftovers depict the horror that paved the way to these beautiful tourist cities that the world enjoys today.
The Piazza San Marco is a chef d'oeuvre teached as almost perfect example of its type in architecture courses. The photo above illustrates one of the successful space design sites: the framing of the opening to the sea, another kind of background. The Campanilla, articulating the two squares, is another example.
