Veneto
Venice Sestriere San Marco

Photo © James Lawson

Venice Sestriere San Marco - the heart of Venice

The Doge's Palace
The monumental entrance was the Porta della Carta, enchanting example of floral Gothic style that contains two bronze well-curbs. The courtyard is surrounded by porticoes with a top loggia. On the eastern side there is the Scala dei Giganti (Giants' Staircase).

It is thus called because of the two enormous statues by Sansovino at the sides. The stairway goes up to the loggia but to reach the top floors we go up the Scala d'Oro ('Golden staircase).

It owes the name to the lavish frescoes and gilded stuccowork. It was from the Doge's Palace that the Venetian Republic was ruled and it is still the highest expression of Venetian art.

It was the residence og the Doge and the seat of the main government departments.

As one walks through the its rooms the history and glory of the Venetian Republic is revealed in its paintings and sculptures. Info >>

Saint Mark's Basilica

The Basilica is a wonderful example of Byzantine Venetian architecture. It was at one time the Doge's chapel but it was also the mausoleum for Saint Mark, the patron saint, whose life is narrated in the golden mosaics on the walls.

St Mark’s Basilica, a superb example of the Romanesque-Byzantine style with five cupolas, was built (10thC) to house the body of the St Mark the Evangelist.

The facade features five portals decorated in splendid marbles and mosaics, and with a terrace dividing it into two halves.

On the terrace stand Four Horses of gilded copper (copies - the originals are now preserved inside) that were sent from Constantinople to Doge Enrico Dandolo in 1204.

Splendid mosaics in the atrium relate the stories of the Bible.

The imposing interior in the form of a Greek cross contains a wealth of paintings and sculptures.

Saint Mark's Basilica

Procuratie Vecchie

The Clocktower
The Procuratie Vecchie runs along the north side of the square from the Clocktower and have kept their Renaissance features. They are followed by the Ala Napoleonica. This was built in 1810 by the architect Giuseppe Soli on the site of the demolished San Geminiano church, which was built Jacopo Sansovino.

An arcaded Renaissance period building, the Procuratie Vecchie was once the residence of the Procurators of St Mark who as magistrates represented the highest authority after the Doge.

Today on the ground floor premises there are coffeehouses, jewellers’, and shops dealing in lace, blown-glass and precious fabrics.
A double-storey building extending along the north side of the square, it is attributed to the architects M. Codussi and J. Sansovino and is now used as offices or residences.

Archaeological Museum
This houses amongst other things the famous collections by Domenico Grimani and by his nephew Giovanni. They are a priceless collection from the church of Santa Maria Formosa. Upon leaving the Ala Napoleonica, just after the 'Bocca di Piazza', we come to the church of San Mois� This originally eight-century building was rebuilt in the tenth century by Mos� Venier, who wanted to dedicate it to the saint after which he was named. The present baroque-style facade, based on a design by Alessandro Tremignon, dates from 1688.

The bell tower standing on the right is in the typically shaped Venetian 14th century style with a brick spire. We then come to Calle (Street) Larga XXII Marzo. This was built in 1880 by widening Calle San Mois� and contrasted with the lower surrounding buildings. Today, this road is lined with shops as far as Bocca di Piazza. These shops were chosen by the most famous names in gold jewellery, leather goods and international and Italian fashion and offer for sale their latest and finest products. Info>>

La Fenice Opera House
Halfway down Calle Larga XXII we turn right into Campo San Fantin where the church of San Fantin stands. This dates back to the ninth century but was rebuilt in the sixteenth century by Scarpagnino.

Venetian Colors