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St. Mark’s Basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) is the most
famous church in Venice and the best-known example
of the city’s unique Italo-Byzantine architecture.
Built to house the relics of Mark the Evangelist, little
is known about the original church buildings, but the
current structure is thought to have been constructed
between 1073 and 1093. The basilica is laid out in the
design of a Greek cross and the tallest of the five
domes reach 141 ft. (43 m) in height.
While the layout of the church has remained constant
over the centuries, the decoration on the inside and
outside of the church has changed greatly. Venice’s
involvement in crusades and conquests saw mosaics,
columns, and friezes from all over the Mediterranean
added to the original opulent, golden mosaic interior.
Outside, the exterior brickwork was gradually covered
with marble cladding and carvings as Venetian vessels
returned with the spoils of war and trade.
A symbol of the wealth and power of the Venetian
Republic, St. Mark’s Basilica remains one of the city’s
most impressive landmarks today.
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