St Marks Basilica Campanile

St Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile: Two Very Different Experiences

They stand 50 metres apart on the same piazza, but visiting them is not the same. The Basilica is one of the most complex interior spaces in European architecture. The Campanile is a straight brick tower with a lift to the top. Both are worth doing; prioritise according to whether you are in Venice for art history or panoramas.

St Mark’s Basilica

The Basilica was built in the 9th century to house the relics of St Mark (brought from Alexandria), substantially rebuilt in the 11th century, and expanded and decorated over the following centuries. The exterior is layered: Byzantine arches, Gothic pinnacles, and Renaissance additions applied at different periods to the same building. The four bronze horses on the facade loggia are Roman bronzes (from Constantinople’s Hippodrome, looted in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade); the ones visible from the piazza today are replicas, the originals being inside.

Entry to the main floor of the basilica is free but requires a timed reservation at weekends and peak periods. The reservation system is via the Basilica’s own website and is worth using even on quiet days to avoid queues. The golden mosaics covering approximately 8,000 square metres of ceiling and wall date from the 11th century onward and depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. In low light (common on overcast days) the gold appears to glow from within.

The Pala d’Oro behind the high altar is an altarpiece composed of around 1,300 gold panels, enamel medallions, and gemstones assembled over several centuries. Seeing it requires a EUR 5 supplement to the free entry and access through the right-hand nave. It is worth paying. The individual Byzantine enamel roundels are extraordinarily refined for their period.

The Museo di San Marco (EUR 7, via the staircase on the right as you enter) contains the original bronze horses and has a balcony overlooking the interior. Seeing the mosaics from balcony level, close up, substantially changes your understanding of their scale and technique.

The Campanile

The current campanile dates from 1912. The original, built between the 10th and 16th centuries, collapsed suddenly without warning in 1902 (fortunately at 09:47 on a Monday morning when the piazza was not crowded). It was rebuilt to the identical design, completed in 10 years.

The lift runs to 98m height. The views are comprehensive: the full footprint of Venice, the Lido, the lagoon, the mainland, and the Dolomites on clear winter days. Entry is EUR 10 (2024 pricing). Go early (opens at 09:00, or 09:30 depending on season) before the queues form. At peak summer midday, waits of 45 minutes are normal.

Around the piazza

Caffe Florian has occupied the southwest corner of Piazza San Marco since 1720. A coffee at an outdoor table costs EUR 12-15. This is not reasonable value for a coffee, but it is not purely a coffee - it is the experience of sitting in Venice’s most famous cafe while a small orchestra plays Vivaldi. You can assess for yourself whether the premium is worth it.

The rest of St Mark’s Square is tourist restaurants at tourist prices. For good food, walk 20 minutes northwest into Cannaregio or southwest into Dorsoduro.