The heart of Venice, the central landmark of this enchanting city revolves around this 9th century town square. Also known as St Mark’s Square, the Piazza is the main attraction of Venice and has an alluring effect on tourists, locals and even pigeons.
What started off as a small gathering area in front of the original St. Mark’s Basilica during the 9th century was later expanded during the 12th century to its current size by modifying the existing layout in order to accommodate the meeting between Pope Alexander III and the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Since the 19th century the St Mark’s Square or the Piazza, has been the centre of all the important activities of Venice and has hosted all important offices of the State of Venice and has been the seat of the archbishopric.
Being the home to Venice’s major attractions and monuments which depict the rich architectural heritage of the city, the St Mark’s Square is the most fascinating urban space. Be it day or night visitors to the city are enchanted by the grandeur of the different styled structures that blend in with shimmering waters that surround the area.
St Mark’s Square skyline is dominated by the unique architectural masterpiece of the Byzantine Basilica of St Mark which rules over one whole side of the Piazza. The main entrance to the city by sea, the Bay of San Marco, adorned by the winged Venetian Lion and St Theodore resting on two giant columns, can be seen to the right of the Basilica.
The Campanile, or the bell tower of St Mark’s Square has dominated the Pizza since the Medieval Times. And on the opposite side of the Piazza the Torre Dell’Orologio, the Clock Tower, towers over the square housed in a 15th century building topped with a the ‘lion of St Mark’ and two black-bronze bell-ringers.
The other structure which enjoys a commanding position on St Mark’s Square is the Doge’s Palace. The gothic palace which had been the residence of the Doge of Venice was largely constructed during the 14th century, and the 16th century reconstruction had added neo-classical alternative design to the classical features of this structure. The palace had housed political institutions of the Republic until the Napoleonic occupation of the city.
Other buildings around the Piazza are, the Procuratie Vecchie, the gothic style 12th century structure which houses offices and apartments, the 16th century classical style Procuratie Nuove, and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, known in English as the National Library of St Mark’s, a Renaissance building housing one of the greatest classical text collections in the world. Shops and cafes occupy the ground floor of the Procuratie.
Cafes line the two sides of the Piazza offering visitors a chance to sit and savour the splendor of this, as presumed to have been the words of Napolean, ‘the drawing room of Europe’. As night falls each café features an orchestra for the pleasure and entrancement of the clients as well as other passers-by. Relax at hotels in St. Marks Square as the sound of competing orchestras blend in to add to the beautiful sky-scape of the buildings around it.
