Wow. So this is what everyone comes to see. This is the centerpiece of Piazza San Marco and for good reason. From the glittery mosaics adorning the exterior to the marble floors and 11th- to 15th-century mosaic domes with millions of gilt-glass tiles, this is a show-stopper.
Construction began in 828 when Venetian merchants smuggled Mark the Evangelist’s body out of Egypt (this is depicted in mosaics on the left of the façade). It took almost 800 years to complete the structure, during which time riots and fires destroyed the exterior mosaics and the foundation, prompting architects to rebuild and/or graft on supports. During the construction, St. Mark’s bones were twice misplaced.
The final structure incorporates a few details: Eastern onion-bulb domes, a Greek cross layout, Gothic arches and Egyptian porphyry walls. The golden central dome depicts St. Mark and angels.
If you want to see more, there are relics in the Tesoro (Treasury) and a magnificent bejeweled Pala d’Oro altarpiece, comprised of 2,000 emeralds, sapphires, rubies and other gemstones.
Go early or late to avoid the hours-long lines.
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