St Mark's Campanile
Venice, Italy
St Mark's Basilica, Venice
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Photo: Nino Barbieri, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Paid, timed ticket
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Morning to evening; Sunday from midday
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Extras
- Pala d'Oro, treasury, museum and terrace
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Bags
- Backpacks go to the free cloakroom nearby
- Time needed
- About an hour with the terrace
- Vaporetto
- San Marco or San Zaccaria, 3 minutes
Key facts
828St Mark's relics were brought from Alexandria
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English Wikipedia1063–1094the present church was built
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English Wikipedia≈ 8,000 m²of gold mosaic inside
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English WikipediaPala d'Oroa gold altarpiece of the 10th–14th centuries set with gems
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English Wikipedia1807the doge's chapel became Venice's cathedral
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English WikipediaA short history
In 828 two Venetian merchants brought the relics of St Mark from Alexandria — smuggled past the guards, legend says, in a basket under pork that the customs officers wouldn't touch. Mark became Venice's patron, and his winged lion the republic's emblem.
The present church was built in 1063–1094 on the model of Constantinople's churches, with a Greek-cross plan and five domes. For most of its history it wasn't the cathedral but the doge's private chapel, joined to his palace; it became Venice's cathedral only in 1807. Every century added marble, columns and sculpture from around the Mediterranean, earning it the name "Church of Gold".
Mosaics and interior
The vaults, domes and walls are covered with about 8,000 m² of gold mosaic, laid between the 11th and 18th centuries: Old and New Testament scenes, the life of St Mark and the Last Judgement. The tesserae are glass backed with gold leaf, and when the lights come on the whole interior glows.
Underfoot is a 12th-century mosaic floor of coloured marble with geometric patterns and animals, rippled over the centuries because the building stands on wooden piles. The high altar holds the Pala d'Oro, a gold altarpiece about two metres high set with enamels and nearly two thousand gems — pearls, garnets, emeralds and sapphires.
The terrace and the bronze horses
Above the main door, the Loggia dei Cavalli terrace carries copies of four bronze horses. The ancient originals — the only surviving quadriga from antiquity, brought from Constantinople in the 13th century — stand inside in the St Mark's Museum, whose ticket includes the terrace and the best view over the square, the Campanile and the lagoon. At the corner by the Doge's Palace, look for the porphyry Tetrarchs, four embracing 4th-century Roman emperors.
What to see
- Gold mosaics — the domes and vaults.
- Pala d'Oro — the jewelled gold altarpiece.
- Mosaic floor — 12th century.
- Museum and terrace — the original horses and the view.
- Treasury — reliquaries and Byzantine chalices.
- The Tetrarchs — porphyry sculpture on the corner.
How to get there
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- St Mark's Campanile is about 1 min away on foot.
- Bridge of Sighs is about 4 min away on foot.
- Doge's Palace is about 2 min away on foot.
More tips
- Vaporetto 1 or 2 to San Marco or San Zaccaria, 3 minutes' walk.
- From the Rialto Bridge, 10 minutes along the Mercerie.
- From Santa Lucia station, 40 minutes on foot following "Per S. Marco" signs.
- It stands on the east side of Piazza San Marco.
Is St Mark's Basilica worth it?
Yes — it's the reason many people come to Venice and one of the most richly decorated buildings on earth. Book a timed ticket online to skip the long square queue, and pay extra for the museum and terrace: the view and the original horses are worth it. Mornings are best, when sunlight catches the mosaics.
Before you go
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Venice's churches: compare and choose
Churches and basilicas in Venice rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| St Mark's Basilicayou are here | 57 | 1 h | Paid | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria della Salute | 51 | 30 min | Free | 10 min walk |
| San Giorgio Maggiore | 43 | 1 h | Free | 14 min walk |
| Giudecca | 41 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 24 min walk |
| Scuola Grande di San Rocco | 37 | 1 h | Paid | 20 min walk |
| Torcello | 30 | 2 h | Free | 9.4 km |
San Marco in half a day
The basilica, the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, the Campanile and a walk to the Rialto.
- St Mark's Basilicayou are here1 h · Paid
- 3 min walk from the previous stopDoge's Palace2 h · Paid
- 3 min walk from the previous stopBridge of Sighs15 min · Free outside
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSt Mark's Campanile30 min · Paid
- 9 min walk from the previous stopRialto Bridge20 min · Free
5 places · about 4 h 23 min with walks · 18 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Book a timed ticket online.
- Backpacks go to the cloakroom.
- The terrace for the view and horses.
- Mosaics glow in the morning.
Questions
Is St Mark's Basilica free?
No, entry is by timed ticket; the Pala d'Oro, treasury and museum with terrace cost extra.
Can I take a backpack into St Mark's?
No — leave backpacks and large bags at the free cloakroom beside the basilica.
When was St Mark's Basilica built?
The present church in 1063–1094, with decoration added until the 18th century.
What is the Pala d'Oro?
A gold altarpiece of the 10th–14th centuries with enamels and nearly two thousand gems.
Where are the original horses of St Mark?
In the St Mark's Museum; the ones on the terrace are copies.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, St Mark's Basilica; Pala d'Oro; Horses of Saint Mark
- Official basilica site basilicasanmarco.it
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