St Mark's Square
Stand on this marble-paved expanse, enclosed on three sides by continuous arcades, with the gilded facade of St Mark's Basilica and the soaring campanile closing the far end — this is the only space in Venice entitled to the word *piazza*; every other square in the city is a *campo*. Dubbed "the drawing room of Europe," the roughly trapezoidal square stretches about 170 metres and forms the heart and symbol of this lagoon city. Don't just shoot a panorama from the centre and move on: every arcade, every tower, every pair of stone lions enclosing this space carries a layer of power and faith accumulated over more than a thousand years of the Venetian Republic. Look closely, and the whole piazza unfolds as an open book of urban history.
Italy · 12 The overlooked corners inside
The overlooked corners inside
Piazzetta San Marco
Visitors arriving by sea see Venice for the first time right here: the two tall granite columns framing the opening onto the St Mark's Basin make this the ceremonial waterfront entrance to the entire San Marco district. The Piazzetta — the small piazza extending southward from the main square — is flanked on one side by the Doge's Palace and on the other by the quayside, the only stretch of Venice's waterfront known as the *molo*. The trapezoidal space in front of you is roughly 170 metres deep; think of it less as a square than as Venice's gateway to the world.
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
The Moors of Venice (Moorish Bell-Strikers)
At the top of the Clock Tower, two dark bronze giants take turns striking the great bell day and night — these are the *Mori di Venezia*, the Moors of Venice. Cast in 1497 by the bronze-smith Ambrogio delle Ancore, each figure stands about 2.5 metres tall; they are similar in form but not identical: the bearded one is the Old Moor, the clean-shaven one the Young Moor. Venetians gave them the nickname because centuries of outdoor exposure have oxidised their bronze to a deep brown-black — from a distance, the colour recalled the Moorish peoples of North Africa.
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Pope John XXIII Memorial Plaque
The Patriarch's Palace beside St Mark's Basilica was home to a man who would become pope. This memorial marks Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, later Pope John XXIII, who was formally installed as Patriarch of Venice on 15 March 1953 and led the diocese for five and a half years until 28 October 1958, when the eleventh ballot of the conclave elected him pope at the age of seventy-six. During those years in Venice he established around thirty new parishes, oversaw restoration work in the basilica, and reorganised both the Patriarch's Palace and the diocesan archives.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Pope John Paul I Memorial Plaque (Cardinal Luciani)
The stone tablet on the outer wall of the Patriarch's Palace bears this inscription: "In this patriarchal residence, Cardinal Luciani, with the goodness and humble simplicity of a pastor, tended his flock from 1970 to 1978, until his election as John Paul I; for thirty-three days he was father and teacher of all humanity, opening a path of new hope." Albino Luciani was appointed Patriarch of Venice by Pope Paul VI in 1969. On 26 August 1978 he was elected pope. He reigned for just thirty-three days, dying in the Vatican on 28 September of the same year.
Sources: overpass-api.de · en.wikipedia.org
St Mark's Basilica
Look up at the four bronze horses above the central portal — they are not decoration. They are war trophies looted from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. The whole basilica is essentially a layered treasury of spoils: in the thirteenth century, to proclaim the Republic's wealth and power, the original brick exterior was encrusted piece by piece with rare marbles and precious stones. This is Venice's cathedral, the resting place of its patron saint Mark the Evangelist, and — together with the campanile and the Doge's Palace — one of the most recognisable skylines in the world. Spend a moment at the door before you go in: this facade alone is worth a long look.
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
New Procuratie (Procuratie Nuove)
The long arcaded building along the south side of the piazza is the Procuratie Nuove, the… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org
Campanile di San Marco (St Mark's Bell Tower)
Look up from the piazza: this brick shaft stands 98.6 metres tall, the highest structure i… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Old Procuratie (Procuratie Vecchie)
The long arcade along the north side of the piazza is the oldest major building surviving… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Clock Tower (Torre dell'Orologio)
In the north-east corner of the piazza, the Clock Tower's great arch marks the start of th… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Church of San Basso
Looking right from the Piazzetta dei Leoncini, a side wall is wedged between the annexe bu… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Piazzetta dei Leoncini (Piazza Giovanni XXIII)
On the north side of the basilica, tucked between the Church of San Basso and the Patriarc… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
Piazza San Marco (Main Piazza)
The piazza proper — the trapezoidal space enclosed on three sides by the Old Procuratie, t… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: it.wikipedia.org
FAQ
What overlooked corners are worth seeing inside St Mark's Square?
Piazzetta San Marco, The Moors of Venice (Moorish Bell-Strikers), Pope John XXIII Memorial Plaque and more — 12 spots in all, each with sources and a guide in your language to read or listen to on the spot.
Is the St Mark's Square guide free?
The first 5 spots are free to read; the other 7 unlock with a one-time purchase (not a subscription).