Everyone takes pictures in Piazza San Marco. San Marco - Cathedral in Venice. Description, history and interesting facts What is the square in Venice with pigeons called?

Saint Mark is the patron saint of Venice. All the best and most important things in the city on the water are connected with the image of this evangelist: the flag, the coat of arms, the most beautiful cathedral, and the famous Piazza San Marco. And the symbol of St. Mark is considered to be a winged golden lion!

What is St. Mark's Square famous for?

The Piazza, as the Venetians laconically and lovingly call the most beautiful square in the city, and perhaps in the world, has never been driven by horse-drawn carriages or cars. This is a palace hall with the sky instead of a ceiling.

When planning a trip to, be sure to make sure that you have at least a few hours to go to St. Mark's Square. There really is something to see here!

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St. Mark's Cathedral

The path connecting the bell tower of San Marco with the Grand Canal, together with the platform of the lions, behind which is St. Mark's Basilica, is called the Piazzetta. This is the main part of the square.

At first, the basilica was an ordinary church for the Venetian rulers - the Doges. In the 11th century, the relics of the evangelist, the patron saint of the city, were brought here, and St. Mark's Cathedral was rebuilt in connection with a new mission - storing the most valuable shrine. The building amazes with the abundance and luxury of gold and marble decoration. The flow of pilgrims and tourists never ends here.

Here is also the tallest building on the square and in the whole city - with a flying angel on top, which was built and rebuilt from the 9th to the 16th centuries. Here Galileo showed his telescope to the Doges for the first time.

Next to the cathedral is the Clock Tower. Using the giant dial, you can determine not only the exact time, but also what the lunar phase is today and in which zodiac sign the Sun is located. Above the clock is the Madonna, above is a winged golden lion, and even higher is a bell that strikes once an hour.

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Bell tower of St. Mark's Cathedral

Other buildings that surround St. Mark's Square are also worthy of attention: the Doge's Palace, the ancient Marciana Library, the subject of admiration of the famous architect Vasari - the Mint. Don't forget to admire the two columns. One with the constant lion, and the second with St. Theodore and the dragon on the capital.

St. Mark's Cathedral is open 9.45-17.00 from Monday to Saturday, and 14.00-16.00 on holidays and Sundays from Catholic Easter to the beginning of November, in the warm season - 14.00-17.00. You can enter St. Mark's Cathedral for free, the main thing is to look decent, not in shorts and a T-shirt. In the cathedral you can go to the Golden Altar for 2 euros, to the Treasury for 3 euros, to the San Marco Museum for 5 euros.

How to get there:

You can get here by water taxi along the Grand Canal.

From the train station - taxi No. 1 (many stops), No. 2 (express) and N (night route).

From the Tronchetto car park - taxi No. 1 and N (night route).

An amazing fairy tale in reality, the greatest mystery, a ghostly city, where instead of streets there are only rivers, a museum on the water - this is all about Venice, founded in 421 on the day of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Here time has stopped running, you forget about everything, you want to look endlessly at the incredible connection between man and the sea. Turquoise water splashes easily and calmly between the houses, it is impossible to understand: either the sea has settled in an unusual city, or the city lives in it. Admired by the unprecedented beauty, Henry Longfellow sang it in his poetry: “O swan of cities, water and sun, brother! Like a giant lily you were conceived”...
But pain and regret are caused in the souls of people living here and coming here, the knowledge that this “white lily” is being swallowed up by the depths of the sea. Slowly but inevitably Venice is sinking into the waters of the Adriatic. Perhaps in the near future our descendants will remember it, just as we now remember Atlantis.

Legendary place in Italy

Piazza San Marco This architectural masterpiece with a touch of Byzantine and Oriental culture is supported by ten thousand oak piles. The great musicians born here became a generous gift to the world: Antonio Vivaldi, the famous Giovanni Picchi, the unforgettable Ippolito Sierra. Various galleries around the world store unsurpassed paintings by masters of the brush: Bellini, the inimitable Francesco Guardi and, of course, Titian, who painted many works on ancient and biblical subjects. His “Penitent Mary Magdalene” evokes delight and awe to this day.
The city of masks and fun is beautiful at any time, its air is saturated with romance and love. Having boarded the gondola and listening to the cheerful song of the local “taxi driver”, it’s time to go to the heart of Venice - Piazza San Marco to discover the pearl of Italy.

Discover the pride of Venice

Two huge columns - the city gates - stand in the way. At the very top of one sits a winged lion - the city symbol, forever fixing its gaze on the majestic temple San Marco.From another peak, a statue of St. Theodore greets guests. The largest square rather resembles a huge Renaissance courtyard thanks to the surrounding Old Procurations with an attached clock tower, where all the signs of the zodiac are depicted on the dial, New Procurations, a bell tower, the Doge's Palace, and other creations of human hands. The main decoration is St. Mark's Cathedral, after which the square was named. “The living room of Europe,” is how Napoleon described it. Many pigeons welcome guests here. They are so tame that they are ready to peck directly from your hands.
Venice - gondolas and bridges, carnivals, meetings and partings. Venice, where perhaps you too will experience unheard-of jubilation. This is where the stunning holidays begin, lasting up to two weeks. They say that it is impossible to change fate, but in this place you can change a lot: feel like an emperor, turn from Cinderella into a charming princess or become a merry fellow Harlequin. It is difficult to recognize a neighbor under an elegant mask, unusual manner, and game.
Dazzling fireworks, cheerful processions with acrobats, magicians, and fairy-tale characters fill the city space. The performance ends with the burning of the effigy. The ringing of bells announces the onset of Lent. Goodbye dancing, singing and fun. The time has come to reflect on life, it is time to “gather stones” by doing good deeds. Let's leave the square and get acquainted with its main architectural masterpiece.

The main attraction of the square

The cathedral captivates with its centuries-old history, which can be described in a separate book. These walls contain the relics of St. Mark, the patron saint of heaven. His sign is the figure of a winged lion, which has become a symbol of Venice. The construction was carried out by Doge Giustiniano Partechipazio, and his brother had the opportunity to complete the construction in 829. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, there have been fires, destruction, and a large number of reconstructions and changes have been made. The original appearance of the building can only be judged from archaeological excavations. It is rightfully considered a treasury of the spirituality of Christianity.
Like a huge Greek cross with five domes decorated with glass mosaic panels, it rushes to Heaven, asking for blessings for all living. Thousands of colorful pieces of glass frame the arches with the walls. In small turrets there are figures of many saints frozen in stone. The mosaic floor, where paintings of biblical scenes “come to life”, takes your breath away. The temple of God sparkling in the sun's rays resembles the Star of Bethlehem.
Nowhere in the world will you see horses frozen in bronze on top of a cathedral. Looking at them, it seems: suddenly there will be a stomping sound, a horse neighing will be heard, the horses will take off from their seats and rush along the narrow streets. The ancient master was so accurately able to give them a resemblance to the living. “Let Mark’s horses shine with golden and bronze harnesses in clear weather,” Byron wrote about them.
The altar cathedral part has a ciborium. Powerful marble columns serve as reliable support. They preserve incredible stories from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Christ. In the depths, hidden from prying eyes, is kept a real miracle of jewelry craftsmanship - a golden altar. The service held here penetrates the soul, the heart, cleanses and pacifies thanks to the talented architects who introduced acoustic jugs into the walls. Let's move on.

The beauty of the Doge's Palace

Very close by is another architectural perfection - the Doge's residence. The Grand Council and the Senate met here, the walls remember the trials of the Supreme Court, where human destinies were decided. It seems that the building is woven from light lace with illogically created facade elements, but this is at first glance, everything here is thought out to the smallest detail.
The first floor is an arcade gallery, giving anyone passing by a pleasant coolness. A weightless balcony on the second floor serves as a shade for the official premises. On the eastern part of the balcony there is a statue of Justice, from where in 1865 the annexation of Venice to the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed. The bridge with an amazing name is of interest; let's head towards it.

Bridge of Sighs

Why did they call it that, who is sighing here? The bridge is the link between the Doge's Museum and the city prison. The name came from the prisoners who sighed heavily, casting a farewell glance at the city. No one could escape from here; only once did the only prisoner manage to do so. This man was none other than the famous womanizer, the terrible adventurer Giacomo Casanova. Why did the beauties love him so much? The explanation is in his memoirs. Whoever the woman was, a courtesan or a countess, did not matter to him. He perceived each goddess, loving passionately, openly, as if for the last time, even with a short romance. A native Venetian, he played the violin superbly, was knowledgeable in medicine, knew astronomy, mathematics, knew how to be a loyal friend and just a kind fellow.
Everyone who visits the beautiful city on the water will discover their own Venice. It cannot be perceived with the eyes, it must be felt with the soul. It is impossible to say “goodbye” to this living legend; you can only say: “Until we meet again,” because among the many channels you will forever lose your own heart.

“He who does not have a heart beating in St. Mark’s Square does not have one at all.”
Unknown traveler of the 19th century

The political and religious center of Venice is St. Mark's Square. The square includes the area from the Grand Canal to the bell tower (Piazzetta) and the vast square itself (Piazza). Here is the Cathedral of St. Mark (9th - 15th centuries), the bell tower (1514), the Doge's Palace (14th - 15th centuries) and the National Library of San Marco (16th century).

Campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Basilica up to 100 meters high, it was built in its current form in 1514 and rebuilt several times. In 1902, as a result of an earthquake, lightning strike and disrepair, it collapsed, but was rebuilt in the same place in the same form by 1912. Here, the most famous scientist of his time in Europe, Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, installed his first telescope to observe celestial bodies.

The bell tower served as a watchtower and a beacon for ships entering the lagoon. In the Middle Ages, a torture cell was located in the tower's sturdy brick shaft. The ringing of five bells determined the rhythm of life in the city and called people not only to church services. The largest bell announced the upcoming meeting of the Great Council, and in the morning it called people to work. At the sound of another bell, the members of the Great Council should have already rushed to the Doge's Palace. The Nona bell marked noon, and the Mezza Terza announced the meeting of the Senate. The smallest bell announced the upcoming execution.

From the top of the tower, in good weather, you can see the spurs of the Alps.

In the square itself (Piazza) there are the Old and New Procurations, intended for the residential apartments of the procurators of San Marco. Between them, by order of the French emperor, a new wing was built (the Ala Napoleonica ballroom).


Photo from the book "Venice". Series "Golden Book". Venice, 2013.

St. Mark's Clock Tower(15th century) is an architectural monument of the Early Renaissance. At the top of the tower, two bronze men in sheep's clothing ring a bell. The difference in their ages (old and young) shows the fluidity of time.
Below, on a blue background with gold stars, is the main symbol of the Venetian Republic, the “Winged Lion” with an open book. The clock shows the seasons of the year, time, phases of the Moon and the movement of the Sun from one constellation to another.

The monumental arch leads to the main (shopping) street Merceria and further to the commercial and financial center on the Grand Canal at the Rialto Bridge.

Gothic Doge's Palace(1309 - 1424) was the residence of the head of the Venetian Republic. The Grand Council, the Senate and the Supreme Court met in the palace. Here the secret police fought the enemies of the republic and corrupt officials. They were effectively drowned in the lagoon or hanged, often before they carried out their insidious plans. During the celebrations, the Doge appeared to the people who had sailed on gondolas from a balcony facing the Grand Canal. The Doge's Palace housed the Grand Council Hall, the offices of the Secret Chancellery and the torture chamber.

On the left in the photo is the largest Venice National Library of St. Mark's. It contains about 13 thousand manuscripts, over 28 thousand first printed and other ancient books of the 16th century.

In the square (piazzetta) rise St. Mark's Columns And Saint Theodore. In 1099, Venice received monolithic granite columns (possibly from Syria) for military assistance to Constantinople, which were installed in the main square about a century later. The place between the columns was used for special occasions of the triumph of justice - for capital punishments. The condemned were placed facing the Clock Tower so that they could see the clock chime the last minutes of their lives. Even today local residents prefer not to walk between the columns. Not all tourists know about this.

A bronze statue of the “Winged Lion” was installed on the eastern column. To this day, debate continues about the origin of the “lion” from Persia, China, Byzantium, Assyria or Venice itself.

Napoleon Bonaparte, who put an end to the existence of the thousand-year-old Venetian Republic, considered it his sacred duty to remove the symbol of the power of Venice from the column and send the “Lion of St. Mark” to Paris, where it was installed in front of the Invalides. This seemed excessive to European leaders and, by decision of the Vienna Congress, “Lion” again went to Venice, but on the way the sculpture crashed. Already on site it was somehow glued and installed. In 1985, a major restoration of the “Lion” was carried out. The age of the sculpture weighing 2.8 tons was determined to be 2500 years. This suggested that the sculpture was cast in the 5th century BC in the Assyrian city of Tarsus. Where in the 11th or 12th centuries. The crusaders (“liberators of the Holy Sepulcher”) brought this trophy to Venice.

On the western column there is a copy of the sculpture of St. Theodore(the original is kept in the Doge's Palace). Before the construction of St. Mark's Cathedral, where the relics of the Saint were brought from Alexandria, St. Theodore was considered the main symbol of Venice. The sculpture is considered to be combined - made up of the marble torso of a Roman commander of the 2nd century and the head of a sculpture of Mithridates of Pontus (king of the Bosporus). According to legend, the crocodile symbolizes the maritime power of Venice.

The famous Bridge of Sighs (17th century), connecting the Doge's Palace, where the court was located, with the city prison. Prisoners sentenced to death were escorted across the bridge.

The square is always crowded, even in late autumn

Piazza. On the left are the Old Procurations, on the right is St. Mark's Cathedral in restoration forests.

St. Mark's Cathedral was built in the Byzantine style and is decorated with numerous mosaics. It contains the relics of the Apostle Mark stolen in Alexandria and many valuable items looted during the Crusades, including from Constantinople. In 1987, the Cathedral, along with other Venetian monuments, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Piazza San Marco is the central square in Venice, together with the adjacent piazzetta (from the Grand Canal to the Campanile) forms the religious, administrative and tourist center in Venice. The length of the square is 175 meters, width is 82 meters. The city square is always full of tourists, and it is where sightseeing tours of Venice often begin.

Every year, 20 million tourists visit St. Mark's Square in Venice.

The design of the square began in the 9th century - with the Cathedral of St. Mark built at that time. The square was expanded to its present size in 1177 - the reconstruction was timed to coincide with the historical meeting of Pope Alexander III with Frederick Barbarossa. From the mid-12th century, the square in front of the cathedral became the site of the Venice Carnival, a tradition that is maintained today.

Attractions

The ensemble of the square includes the following architectural sights of Venice:

• St. Mark's Cathedral. It is the main cathedral of Venice and the most visited attraction. The cathedral was built in the 9th century, but acquired its final, modern appearance only in the 15th century. The Cathedral in Venice in Piazza San Marco is attractive both from an aesthetic point of view (domed mosaics, Byzantine architecture) and from a religious point of view - the relics of St. Mark and the Nikopeia icon are kept inside.
• Campanile. The Campanile is a tower in Piazza San Marco with a height of 98.6 meters. There is an observation deck with one of the best panoramas of Venice.
• Doge's Palace. The famous palace in the Gothic style was built in the XIV-XV centuries. In those days, this was the residence of the Doges, and the Venetian court also met here. Today, the Doge's Palace in Piazza San Marco is the hallmark of Venice.
• Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio). The clock in Piazza San Marco is full of surprises: at the top there are bronze statues of a young man and an old man ringing a bell at a certain time; Below is a lion with a book - a symbol of the city; below - the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus; under the Virgin Mary - a luxurious blue and gold watch.
• Old and new prosecutors. This is a complex of three connected historical buildings framing the square.

On the piazzetta there are granite monuments-columns of Saints Mark and Theodore, and the building of the Marciana Library is located. The Column of St. Mark is crowned with a bronze lion, cast in the 5th century BC. e. in Assyria. The lion was a trophy of the Crusader knights. The statue has survived to this day only in fragments, having undergone restoration several times. The Column of St. Theodore is topped by a statue of the saint with a crocodile at his feet, which symbolizes the sea power of the city.

Panoramic view of San Marco Square from the observation deck:

Another striking attraction of Piazza San Marco is the pavement. The surface of the square is paved with light stone, laid in a herringbone pattern back in the 13th century. Initially, the pattern was not a decorative device, but a way of navigating ceremonial processions.

Among the museums in Piazza San Marco, it is worth visiting: the interior of the Doge's Palace, including the prison rooms in which Giordano Bruno and Casanova were imprisoned; the Correr Museum with a collection of paintings from the 12th to 17th centuries; archaeological museum with a collection of works of art from antiquity.

Infrastructure

Lunch in local restaurants with Venetian cuisine will cost from 100 euros. At the same time, tourists note in reviews that the quality of food does not correspond to the price. Tourists advise stopping here for a cup of coffee to enjoy the beauty of the square without rushing. The most famous cafes in Piazza San Marco operate on the ground floor of the procuratorium, including the famous Florian cafe, which is the oldest in Europe. The original interior has been preserved here. But you will have to pay a lot for the old-fashioned atmosphere: a cup of coffee will cost 10 euros, dessert - from 15 euros.

From the photo of San Marco Square you can see that the lower floors of the ancient palazzos are occupied by boutiques and souvenir shops. Not only local residents, but also tourists are unhappy with this fact.

There are a large number of hotels in the areas around Piazza San Marco. All of them are located in historical buildings, therefore, regardless of the category, they will cost very little. But, as many tourists note, hotels with original antique interiors and views of the square are worth it.

Over its centuries-old history, Piazza San Marco has witnessed many unusual events and historical incidents. The square, as a living organ of the city, its heart, is currently developing, and every now and then appears in newspaper headlines with new stories.

• Paid visit to the square. The news that the entire world community has been discussing for several years now is “Visiting San Marco Square may require a fee.” This method of dealing with the high tourist flow is proposed by the Venetian authorities. Cash desks and turnstiles may be installed at the entrance. Venice authorities also plan to fine tourists with noisy wheels on their suitcases - local residents complain about the rumble on the paving stones from countless tourists.
• Bad omens. The death penalty in Piazza San Marco took place between two columns - St. Mark's and St. Theodore. And today local residents believe that walking between the columns is unlucky.
• Floods. During the period of “high water”, San Marco Square is the first to flood, as it is the lowest place in the city.
• Pigeons in Piazza San Marco. Pigeons have become an integral part of the image of Piazza San Marco. There is even a legend associated with their appearance: in the year of the basilica’s consecration, a cage with a pair of doves was brought among the gifts; the released birds landed on the arch of the basilica. These birds were recognized as sacred, and the republican head ordered the feeding of the pigeons and their offspring. This tradition was maintained even when the number of birds became too large. The sale of pigeon food to tourists in St. Mark's Square was only banned in 2008 due to the outbreak of the bird flu epidemic.

How to get to Piazza San Marco in Venice

You can get to St. Mark's Square in Venice with guides as part of organized excursions or by vaporetto to the station of the same name. Vaporetto departs from Venice Santa Lucia train station every 10 minutes. Travel time is about 15 minutes. There are 2 main routes: vaporetto no. 2 to the Rialto C pier, then about 5 minutes on foot; along the Grand Canal to the Piazzetta. At the end of the piazzetta stands the bell tower of the cathedral - Piazza San Marco begins there.

Venice train station can also be reached on foot. The journey will take 30-40 minutes through city lanes - it is better to go without luggage.

Map of the walking route from Venice train station to Piazza San Marco:

Video “St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) in Venice”: filming from a drone

St. Mark's Square is the soul. Located in the very heart of the city, it has long been a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. In 1177 the square was enlarged to its current size in honor of the meeting between Frederick Barbarossa and Pope Alexander III. Since then, it has hosted the main city holidays, solemn religious processions and, of course, the famous Venetian carnival.
Visitors are greeted by the column of St. Theodore and, topped with a bronze winged lion, cast in the 5th century BC. and Assyria. Although not much remains of the old lion, only some parts, the rest were replaced in 1991, but thanks to them, the column exudes a unique ancient flavor.
The architectural dominant is the Governors of the Republic, built in 1424. For a long time it was the seat of the Great Council, judges and Senate. The most beautiful part of the Palace is the front balcony, which served as a platform for addressing the people.
- Venice Cathedral, is an amazing example of the Byzantine style of architecture in Europe, protected by UNESCO. It received its current appearance in the 15th century, but was founded much earlier, in the 9th century. The cathedral contains the relics of St. Mark, the head of the Apostle James and the relics of the martyr Isidore. Magnificent mosaics were taken from Constantinople during the Crusades and now adorn the portal and dome of the temple.
Also on Piazza San Marco is the main and largest library of Venice - Marciana, which collected 13,000 manuscripts and many literary monuments, painted by Veronese, Salviti and other masters of that time.
A separate attraction is the pavement of the square, depicted in the paintings of artists of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Consider her drawing in the company of an innumerable number of pigeons flocking here to profit.
How to get there?
You can get there by gondola from any corner of the city for 50-100 €, depending on the flexibility of the gondolier. However, you can save money and walk, because there are signs on every house.
What is the price?
Entrance to the Doge's Palace is possible from 8:30 to 19:00 and costs 17 €, but it is much more profitable to purchase a “general” ticket for 24 €, which will open the doors of all municipal museums for 6 months.