Basilica di San Marco

A smuggling tale

The church was founded in the 9th century to house the relics of St. Mark, after two clever Venetian merchants smuggled the saint's body out of Egypt. They hid it in a barrel of pork fat to conceal it from Muslim guards.

Where East meets West

With its blend of Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque styles, the church is a unique architectural marvel that reflects the city's cultural connections.

Endless gilded mosaics

The upper levels of the interior are completely covered with intricate mosaics crafted over the course of eight centuries. Many of them use 24-carat gold leaf fused onto the back of the glass to symbolize divine light. They vividly tell stories from the Bible and depict events from the lives of Christ, Saint Mark and other saints.

The numbers behind Pala d'Oro

As if the mosaics were not lavish enough, this 3x2 meter altarpiece is made of gold and silver, featuring 187 enamel plaques and a staggering 1,927 gems: 526 pearls, 330 garnets, 320 emeralds, 255 sapphires, 183 amethysts, 175 agates, 75 rubies, 34 topazes, 16 carnelians and 13 jaspers.

Horses of Saint Mark

The Horses of the Hippodrome of Constantinople are a set of copper statues from classical antiquity. They were placed on the facade of the church after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Outside are replicas, while the originals can be seen inside the museum on the first floor.

Sweeping views

The upper terrace offers a unique vantage point over the other landmarks in Piazza San Marco.