Itinerary: Visit Saint Mark!
It is connected with the rest of the city by the most famous bridge in Venice (Rialto) and the so-called “temporary” Accademy Bridge. Moreover, it borders Cannaregio District and Castello District. The island of Saint George, that can be admired from the “Piazzetta” (little square) its also part of Saint Mark’s district.
Here we propose you a tailor-made itinerary, that does not have the presumption of being perfect, it is simply a themed itinerary suggested among the many that could be created.
We start from the Basilica, in Saint Mark’s square, leaving it anyway at our back. From this point we would like to introduce you to the square: from left to right we have the majestic Steeple, almost 100 metres of height, the Procuratie Vecchie (Old Procuratie, XII Century), the "Napoleonic Wing" (where one of the most famous museums of the city is hosted, the Correr Museum), the New Procuratie and, recently restored, The Clock Tower. A curiosity: the Napoleonic Wing was built by Napoleone in place of the old Church of San Gimignano.
After this brief introduction we turn to admire Saint Mark’s Basilica. Probably not everyone knows that it is also called Basilica Marciana (it is in fact next to the Marciana Biblioteque) and it’s the most striking example of Byzantine architecture in Italy. Contrary to what one could think, this is not the first church dedicated to the patron of the city. The Basilica was in fact consecrated and built in 1094, along the lines of the pre-existing one. We can anyway date back to 828 the first Church dedicated to the patron, built to preserve the precious relics retrieved in Alessandria of Egypt by two Venetian merchants, Buono from Malamocco and Rustico from Torcello.
The legend says that one year after the consecration of the Basilica, as said, in 1094, Saint Mark’s relics were found inside a pillar of the Basilica, hidden during the works of restoration.
The decorations that render the Basilica the masterpiece that we all know today were brought in the centuries immediately successive to its consecration. Mosaics, sculptures, marbles, nothing was left to chance. Many works then, derive from various spoils of war. The famous “Quadriga”, for example, was plundered during a crusade in Constantinople, just like the Tetrarchs, from 1204 in Venice. They represent two Caesars and two Augustus hold in a tight embrace apt to symbolize the fraternity that had to guarantee the succession of the Roman Empire.
Beyond the Basilica, walking towards the Lagoon, one can not but be fascinated from the splendour that surrounds the Doge’s Palace, once seat of the Doge, today Civic Museum. A tortured history goes with it, having been several times set on fire, built as a castle at first and completely rebuilt many times, the last of which in 1577 after one of the many fires just quoted.
Fascinating from the outside, certainly beautiful from the inside. It certainly deserves a visit, just like the organized tour within it “Secret Itineraries” deserves to be booked. This will allow you to get to some zones usually closed to the public, pass through the Bridge of Sighs (not everyone can do so) and to visit the famous prisons. Normally, in fact, the Bridge can be admired from the “Ponte della Paglia” from Riva degli Schiavoni.
While leaving the Doge’s Palace, you’d certainly have noticed the two columns on the side of the lagoon that mark off the palace itself and the Biblioteca Marciana. Well, they are the column of Saint Mark and of Saint Theodore. The two buildings and the two columns represent the entrance to the square for those coming from the Lagoon.
Let’s go back to Saint Mark’s Square and let’s cross it leaving the Basilica at our back. Let’s walk through the Napoleonic wing and go toward Calle Larga XXII Marzo. We are suddenly stricken by the beauty of Saint Moisé’s Church (1668): if you have time, it is worth a visit. Inside it you’ll find many paintings, among which certainly stands “La Lavata dei Piedi” by Tintoretto.
Calle Larga XXII Marzo is today the shopping street in Venice par excellence, but be careful: you could soon find your wallet empty. Around here in fact, you’ll find some of the most important names of the world: Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Bulgari, Valentino, Cartier…
Before proceeding towards the Academy Bridge, it is worth visiting (at least from the outside), the Fenice Theatre, originally projected by Gian Antonio Selva in 1790, burned down twice because of a fire, the last one, very recent. Today is the most important lyrical theatre of the city.
Campo Santo Stefano is our next stop (a small local street market takes place here during Christmas time) and, going on, we meet the “temporary” Academy Bridge first and Palazzo Grassi, seat of many exhibition world-famous, then.
Alternatively to the tour now proposed, passing under the Procuratie Nuove almost at the junction with the Napoleonic wing, at 10 minutes distance we find the Rialto Bridge, the most famous bridge of the city (you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Canal Grande from here) and Campo San Bartolomeo. Next to the bridge we can admire the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, once head-quarter of the trade between Venetians and Germans.
Did you know that…
The classical “ombra” (shadow) of wine that you drink in Venice, owes its name to the wine sellers of Saint Mark’s Square that were used to shelter from the sun standing at the shadow of the Steeple?
