Matino

“The drawing room of Europe”, so was the enchanting Piazza San Marco or St Mark’s Square called by Napoleón. It’s the only square in Venice which receives the name piazza; meanwhile the others are called Campi. The construction work had already started in the Middle Ages, but the square received its trapezium form only in the late 12th century. It’s situated in front of the breath-taking Basilica di San Marco. The Basílica of Saint Mark captivates you with its incredible mosaic, gothic façade and a lot of flowers. So it’s the absolute protagonist of the square.



The square is famous all over the world and is always full of people who are enjoying the beautifulness of the city. The breath-taking square is divided into two parts which are connected by a wonderful tower. There are a lot of interesting buildings around the square, but the most fantastic and famous ones are the St Mark’s Campanile (Campanile di San Marco ) and of course Saint Mark’s Basílica (Basilica di San Marco) which are visited by thousands of tourists each day. Since 1807 St Mark’s Basílica has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice before the bishop’s cathedral had been in San Pietro de Castello. This wonderful cathedral of Venice is the masterpiece of a Greek architect and stands for the creed of many Venetians who are really proud of their monument.

St Mark’s Campanile and Basílica are the great protagonists of the square. St Mark’s Campanile or bell tower is an enchanting symbol of the city which was officially inaugurated in the 20th century after a lot of renovation work. The reconstruction of the campanile was realized with the same original material. In former times the campanile had been the scenario for incredible acrobatic performances. It was as well a kind of prison for blasphemous priests and later on it was used as an observatory. Nowadays, there are two lifts which will bring you up to the breath-taking look-out where each day uncountable tourists take pictures of the beautiful view of Venice and its lagoon.

Another monument you shouldn’t miss is the Torre dell’Orologio. This famous St Mark’s Clock tower is a real masterpiece of the Renaissance which was created by the architect Mauro Codussi between 1496 and 1499. The astronomical clock offers you as well a charming carillon which you can only enjoy during the celebrations of Epiphany. During this feast they open a part of the clock and some statues of the Three Wise Men come out which the excited audience is waiting for. It’s a real entertaining tradition which you shouldn’t miss!

Venice offers you a lot of more highlights, like the unique lagoon. You will be captivated by a trip in one of the gondolas which is a normal means of transport for the Venetians. It seems that the time doesn’t exist in this magical city.

St Mark’s Square is a real treasure of the city which offers you besides wonderful monuments, uncountable bars and cafés, like the well-known Café Quadri, founded in 1775 by the famous Giorgi Quadri. It’s situated just next to another famous café, the Café Florian from the year 1720. A lot of important personalities, like Canova or Goldoni, have already visited these enchanting Italian cafés. So, why don’t you drink a latte macchiato there?

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