St Mark's in Venice – an Insider's Tour
How to See the Best of the Basilica San Marco
Even those travelers who don’t normally enjoy visiting churches are impressed and delighted by the riches and grandeur of St. Mark’s. Built as the “chapel” of the Venetian rulers – the Doges, whose palace is next door – St Mark’s is one of Italy’s top sights.
Mosaics Inside St. Mark’s
Almost overwhelming in the glittering gold of its mosaics, the basilica’s interior is in the form of a Greek cross. Walls, domes and columns are covered in mosaics, a picture version of the Bible designed for a time when most people were illiterate. The tiny glass bits (tesserae) are set at odd angles to reflect the light in varied ways and bring the pictures to life. These were created over centuries, beginning in the 1100s. In the atrium – the section between the inner and outer facades – the inside of the cupola shows the creation of the world in circles of mosaic. The central dome mosaic pictures Christ Ascending in Glory. Go to the gallery of the north aisle (to the left of the entrance) for the best overall view of the mosaics. To get there – and to the loggia to look out at the Piazza San Marco and Campanile from between the horses, climb the stairs from the atrium, following signs to “Loggia dei Cavalli.”
The Lost Bones of St. Mark
One of the most charming mosaic stories in the basilica is one few tourists find – that of the missing relics of the saint to whom the building is dedicated. St. Mark’s bones – some of Christendom’s most treasured relics and the church’s holiest possession – were hidden so well during a rebuilding of the church, that they were lost. When the search for them failed repeatedly, the saint took matters into his own hands – or arm, which the story goes, he thrust through a wall to show his hiding place. Look for the mosaics behind the columns in the wing nearest the Doge’s Palace, to the right of the main altar.
The Golden High Altar
Matching – perhaps exceeding – the mosaics in its artistry is the Pala d'Oro, a 250-panel altarpiece created by 10th-century goldsmiths and studded with 3000 precious stones and enameled medallions – thought to be the most valuable altar in the world. Look for it behind the alabaster columns and canopy of the high altar, which is beyond the Chapel of St. Peter, a few steps above the nave that’s under the central dome. Stop in the Chapel of St. Peter to see the 14th-century altar screen, carved in relief.
The Treasury, on the side nearest the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace), is filled with silver and gold coffers, chalices, reliquaries and other works of art either collected during Venetian conquests or created by master craftsmen during the golden age in Venice.
St. Mark’s Basilica Hours
The basilica is open 9.45 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. on Sunday and holidays, and entrance is free. To see the inside of the basilica during the height of tourist season without the long lines and crush of people, arrive well before its 9:45 opening time or late in the afternoon as crowds begin to thin. Expect to pay separate fees to see the Treasury (3 €) and Pala d'Oro (2 €), which may close a bit earlier than the rest of the church.
The Mosaic Wonder of St Marks
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