Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco and Campanile
(Pagnatti)

A relatively small clearing, the Piazza San Marco dominates less than 1,000 square meters of Venice’s surface.  Still, it is the largest public open space in Venice.  Laid out in Doge Sebastiano Ziani’s 12^th century urban renewal plan, the Piazza has always been the active focus of the city.  The easily recognized buildings immediately on the Piazza attract millions seeking photo opportunities.  Though the gawking tourists may seem out of place, the square has bustled with merchants and natives since its creation.  Its accessible location on the Canal Grande and the waterfront made it a strategic site for administrative and trade transactions.  Leisure spots, such as the European battega del caffé or coffee houses, which originated in the Piazza, can also be found around the square.  These cafés are an attribute of the native Venetian culture.  Pigeons compete with the tourists as the most unwelcome visitors.   Map of Piazza San Marco

Basilica di San Marco (Michelin)

Libreria Sansoviniana (Michelin) 

Palazzo Ducale from the Waterfront – Basilica domes(Michelin)

Palazzo Ducale (Michelin)

Grandiose buildings and monuments define the boundaries of the Piazza.  Destined to be the social, administrative, religious and commercial hub from the time of its construction, the square boasts the headquarters of these Venetian institutions.   Intricately decorated by mosaics and topped by impressive domes, the Basilica di San Marco was completed on this site in 1094.  A combination of Byzantium and Gothic architecture, the Basilica houses the body of Venice’s patron saint, St. Mark.

  On the waterfront, just behind the Basilica, stands the Palazzo Ducale.  This palace, one of many luxurious palaces built for the Doge, was constructed in 1419.  The Palazzo is an amazingly strong, secular symbol, although the building itself was not fortified.  At the end of the square towers the tallest structure in Venice, the Campanile.  The Bell Tower standing today is a replacement for the original, which collapsed on its weak foundation in 1902.  Several museums also are found in the complex, including the Libreria Sansoviniana.  Museums such as these represent the elite or visiting culture that Venice officials are catering to.