DK Travel : Venice : Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco

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Long the political and religious heart of Venice, it’s hard to believe Piazza San Marco was once little more than a monastery garden crossed by a stream. The glittering basilica and Doge’s Palace command the east side of the square, while other stately buildings along its borders have been the backdrop for magnificent processions celebrating victorious commanders, visiting dignitaries and festivals. The western end was remodelled by Napoleon, who wished to construct a royal palace here. Today the piazza continues to bustle, with a museum complex, elegant cafés, live orchestras, costumed Carnival crowds – not to mention duck-boards when it floods.
For more on Museo Correr Complex (see Museo Correr Complex)

Top 10 Sights

1. Basilica San Marco

(see Basilica San Marco).
2. Doge’s Palace

2. Doge’s Palace

(see Doge’s Palace).
3. Torre dell’Orologio

A marvel to behold, the Renaissance-style clock tower features two bronze moors hammering out the hours on the upper terrace. At Epiphany and Ascension there is an hourly procession of clockwork Magi led by an angel. According to legend, the craftsmen were blinded to prevent them repeating the work.
4. Campanile

4. Campanile

Incomparable views of the city and lagoon can be had by taking the elevator to the top of this 98.5-m (323-ft) bell tower. Erstwhile lighthouse, watch tower and torture chamber, it was masterfully rebuilt to its 16th-century design following its clamorous collapse in 1902.
5. Piazzetta

5. Piazzetta

Once an inlet for boats and witness to the arrival of distinguished visitors during the Republic’s heyday, this now fully paved mini square fronts the lagoon.
6. Columns of San Marco and San Teodoro

These two granite columns with symbols of the saints were erected in 1172 by Nicolò Barattieri. Public executions were held here.
7. Piazzetta dei Leoncini

Site of a former vegetable market, a pair of lions (leoni) in red Verona stone have been crouching here since 1722.
8. Procuratie Vecchie and Nuove

These elegant 15th-century buildings were the residence of the Procurators, responsible for state administration.
9. Caffè Florian

9. Caffè Florian

Reputedly Europe’s first coffee house , the premises still retain their 1720 wood-panelling, marble-topped tables and gilt-framed mirrors (see A Day in San Marco).
10. Giardinetti Reali

These shady public gardens, created during the Napoleonic era, took the place of boatyards and grain stores, situated just behind the panoramic waterfront.

Practical Information

An after-dinner drink in the piazza on summer evenings is accompanied by the café orchestras. The best time to appreciate the beauty of the square is early morning, when only the city sweepers are here. San Marco Campanile: Open Easter–Oct: 9am–7pm, Nov–Easter: 9am– 4:15pm (closed 2 weeks in Jan) admission €6.00 Caffè Florian: 041 520 56 41 open 10am– midnight (closed Wed in winter) Museum Complex: Open Apr–Oct: 9am– 7pm, Nov–Mar: 9am– 5pm admission €11 (includes Doge’s Palace)