Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark’s Square, is the largest and most important square in Venice. Being the widest strip of flat, open terrain in the coastal city, it has long been a popular meeting place for Venetians and visitors alike. The Piazza’s rectangle design was once a showcase for the city’s aristocracy and is most impressive for its maritime focus – a reminder of Venice’s centuries-old legacy as a powerful maritime republic.
Called “the hall of Europe” (a quote attributed to Napoleon), St. Mark’s Square is named after the unusual and surprising Basilica of the same name that dominates the eastern end of the square. The slender Campanile di San Marco, the Basilica’s bell tower, is one of the square’s most recognizable landmarks.
History of St. Mark’s Square
Built in the 9th century opposite St.Mark’s Basilica and the adjacent Doge’s Palace, the square was expanded in the 12th century after a canal and quay were filled in. The bell tower (bell tower) was rebuilt three times; the last version was completed in 1912. In the 16th century, during the sack of Rome, Jacopo Sansovino fled to Venice and built the charming Loggetta del Sansovino, used as a waiting room for the council of the Doge’s Palace. The plaza was paved with bricks in a unique herringbone pattern.
But in 1735, the terracotta blocks were replaced by natural stone. On the promenade, the paved areas, known as La Piazzetta (small square) and Molo (jetty), are overseen by two 12th-century columns. Above each is a statue of the two patron saints of Venice: Saint Mark in the form of a winged lion and Saint Theodore (Theodore).
What to see and do in Piazza San Marco
St. Mark’s Square is the epicenter of Venice: almost everything in the city revolves around it. In summer, the square is packed with tourists, but fall and spring see slightly fewer crowds. Winter, although wet and cold, can be very romantic and ethereal.
No matter what time of year you visit, here are some things to do and see in Venice’s Piazza San Marco.
Visit St. Mark’s Basilica: St. Mark’s Basilica is one of the most beautiful and intricately designed cathedrals in the world; no wonder it is the main attraction in the city. Pure Venetian, the church’s architectural style encompasses Byzantine, Islamic, and Western European influences, and has more than 500 columns and 85,000 square feet of intricate gold mosaics adorning the main portal and the interiors of its five domes. Inside, the Basilica’s museum contains a fascinating collection of carpets, liturgies and tapestries, along with the bronze horses of Saint Mark, brought from Constantinople during the 4th Crusade.
Hear the bells of San Marco: the Campanile di San Marco is the bell tower of the Basilica of San Marco. Towering 323 feet above the Plaza, the freestanding tower has a loggia surrounding its bell tower containing five bells, topped by lion faces and the Venetian version of Lady Justice ( La Giustizia ). Topped by a pyramidal spire with a golden weather vane in the likeness of the Archangel Gabriel, the tower was last restored in 1912 after it collapsed 10 years earlier. Fun fact: In 1609, Galileo used the tower as an observatory and to demonstrate his telescope.
Stroll through the Palace of the Doges – Adjacent to St. Mark’s Basilica is the opulent Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), the former seat of the Doges, rulers of Venice. The doge functioned essentially like the king of Venice, and his huge palace functioned almost like an autonomous city. Old assembly halls, apartments, and heartbreaking prisons are part of the self-guided or guided tours available here.
Witness to antiquity at the National Archaeological Museum – Founded in 1523 by Cardinal Domenico Grimani, the museum tells the story of Venice: a city of art, glass, ceramics and jewelery. Located opposite the Piazzetta, it has a great variety of Greek, Egyptian, Assyrian and Babylonian artifacts, as well as pre-protohistoric archaeological finds. There is also an impressive collection of 16th century works acquired over the centuries from the Venetian nobility.
Read the old text at the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana: The National Library of San Marcos is located within a section of the Procuratie Nuove that overlooks the Piazza. It maintains thousands of works printed between the 16th and 17th centuries and is believed to contain the largest collection of classical texts in the world. Not only that, but it is among the oldest public manuscript repositories in Italy that still exist.
Appreciate Venetian Art at the Correr Museum: Behind the rows of shops along the Procuratie Nuove is the Correr Museum, which occupies the upper floors of the building. One of 11 civic museums in Venice, it displays a wonderful collection of Venetian art and historical artifacts.
Sip a Bellini at an outdoor café – Piazza San Marco is lined with Procuraties (three connected buildings) whose arched ground floors house elegant cafes with outdoor tables. Order a Bellini, a Prosecco and peach nectar cocktail invented in 1931, as you watch the world go by. But be prepared to pay a premium, because a front row seat in this iconic square doesn’t come cheap.
How to visit Piazza San Marco
Location: Piazza San Marco, 30100 Venezia
Save time by purchasing a Pass for the San Marco Square Museum. The pass includes entry to the Doge’s Palace, the Correr Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana. It is ideal for travelers visiting Venice for a day or two.
Advice for travelers: In an effort to reduce the damage caused by pigeon droppings in many UNESCO heritage sites in Venice, it is forbidden to feed pigeons; violators could be fined € 50 to € 200.
Nearby attractions
Island of Burano. A picturesque and sparsely populated island in the northern Venetian lagoon, famous for its brightly colored houses and handcrafted lace.
Scuola Grande di San Rocco. The museum exhibits more than 60 paintings, many by the famous painter Tintoretto.
Leonardo da Vinci Museum. Located inside the Scuola Grande, this interactive museum showcases the genius of the painter / inventor through anatomical studies, interactive machines, and multimedia exhibits.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection. See works by modern masters like Picasso, Pollock, and Calder. The museum occupies the former home of the American patron of the arts on the Grand Canal.
