Venice and the wonders of St. Mark's Basilica

St. Mark's Square is the lowest point in Venice, just 90 cms above the sea level; it's extremely prone to flooding with Aqua Alta, the phenomenon that sees Venice temporarily flooded which generally takes place in wintertime

The St. Mark's Clocktower is an early Renaissance building dating from the last decade of the 15th century; the clock was placed where it would be visible from the waters of the lagoon and give notice to everyone of the wealth and glory of Venice

Café Florian is said the oldest café on the square and the oldest in Europe; it opened its doors in 1720 and was known as Alla Venezia Trionfante, meaning To the Triumphant Venice; famous customers include Lord Byron and Charles Dickens

View from St. Mark's Campanile; starting in 2023, day-trippers have to sign up online the day they plan to visit and pay a fee ranging from 3 to 10 euros, depending on the time of year and how crowded the city is (people staying at Venice hotels are exempt)

The view from the Bridge of Sighs, completed in 1600, was the last view that convicts saw before their imprisonment as they were taken from the Doge's Palace to the New Prison; fewer than half of the 30+ million annual visitors stay overnight in Venice proper

San Giorgio Maggiore is now best known for the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, designed by Palladio and begun in 1566; the campanile, first built in 1467, fell in 1774; it was rebuilt in neo-classic style by 1791; it was also painted in a series by Monet

Built in 1340 in Venetian Gothic style, the Doge's Palace was the residence of the Doge of Venice, the supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice; it's worth taking a tour of the interior which is spectacular

The early 16th century Procuratie Vecchie was formerly the offices of the Procurators of St. Mark, high officers of state in the days of the Republic of Venice; today, this seemingly endless building houses shops on the first floor and offices above

These 8th century horses are believed to have been atop the Roman Arch of Trajan in Constantinople when the Venetians conquered the city in 1204; they were installed on the balcony at St. Mark's in 1254 but are now protected inside with replicas outside

First commissioned in 976, the Pala d'Oro is the high altar retable at St. Mark's and is made of gold and silver, 187 enamel plaques and 1,927 gems which include 526 pearls, 330 garnets, 320 emeralds, 255 sapphires, 183 amethysts, 175 agates, 75 rubies, 34 topazes, 16 carnelians, and 13 jaspers

St. Mark's Body Venerated by the Doge mosaic; in 828, Venetian merchants stole the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist from their original resting place in Alexandria, Egypt; today, the remains are richly guarded under the main altar inside the basilica

The outstanding mosaics at St. Mark's include the elaborate floors, dating from the late 11th and early 12th centuries; made from a wide variety of colored limestones and marbles, the animals depicted have symbolic meanings

The 13th century Dome of the Creation is in St. Mark's narthex; unlike in middle-Byzantine churches where the theme of the Last Judgement is often represented in the narthex, the decorative program at St. Mark's narrates the stories of Genesis and Exodus

The Rialto Bridge is the oldest (1591) of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal; the New York Times describes Venice as 'undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man'; only 55,000 residents occupy Venice proper while 60,000+ tourists visit daily

St. Mark's Square has changed little since I visited on my first trip to Europe with UCLA friends Tim and Sandy back in 1990; travel then was more of an adventure because we didn't have the internet or Rick Steve's to rely upon to provide info on every aspect of the trip

The Church of San Zaccaria, completed in 1590, is dedicated to Zacharias, father of John the Baptist; I had plenty of time to tour this church since it was next to the police station where I waited for an English-speaking officer to report my stolen wallet

The current St. Mark's Campanile was completed in 1912 after the previous one collapsed in 1902; at 323 feet in height, it is the tallest structure in Venice; an elevator was thoughtfully added in 1962

St. Mark's was the chapel of the Doge from its completion in 1094 until the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, there are 85,000+ square feet of mosaics, mostly in gold, inside; backpacks aren't allowed but luggage storage businesses are nearby

Reservations booked online through the official website (20 euros to see everything) enable you to skip the long lines and go to a separate entrance; you can pick up an audioguide inside which is extremely helpful in explaining the magnificent detail

The 14th century mosaic of St. John the Baptist Receiving the Vestments from an Angel was originally on the west wall of the ante-baptistry; like many Venice attractions it's important to make a timed reservation and read the rules (ie long pants required)

From the second half of the 12th century, the Ascension Cupola in the center of the basilica is considered to be the best mosaic expression in the whole church for structure, quality and preservation

Cupola illustrating the life of Abraham, 1250; St. Mark's isn't the oldest or largest church in Venice-the oldest is likely San Giacometto, close to the Rialto Bridge while the largest is Santi Giovanni e Paolo, home to the powerful Dominican monastic order

Amazingly complex floor mosaics; artworks adorning St Mark’s Basilica are by such prominent artists as Veronese, Titian, and Tintoretto completed during the 15th and 16th centuries; even Michelangelo contributed to the design with his iconic Pietà