Basilica San Marco
St. Mark’s Basilica is a symbol of the City of Venice, almost as recognizable as the gondolas. Piazza San Marco has been the heart of Venice for centuries, with its big open square surrounded by colonnades of posh stores, cafes, and restaurants, and the Basilica San Marco towering over the far eastern end of the square. To say that Piazza San Marco is “magical” is an understatement.
The Basilica has a long history, and it grew over the centuries in tandem with the wealth and power of the Venetian merchants who built it. Historians believe that two merchants from Venice recovered the body, or relics, of St. Mark from the city of Alexandria in Egypt in 828/829 AD, and brought it to the Doge of Venice. The first church built on the site to house the relics was attached to the Doge Palace, and was consecrated in 832. It was later burned in a revolt against the Doge in 976. The repairs/reconstruction of the church was completed under Doge Orseolo and remained in that form until 1063, when the construction of the current church was started.
The church as it stands today was consecrated in 1094, but major additions of mosaic art, gold gilding, and marble finishing continued over the centuries as Venice grew in wealth. The church is built over the plan of a Greek cross, and the whole architecture, art and design is in the Byzantine style of the Eastern church. In fact, many of the decorative elements of the church were plundered from Constantinople as part of the Fourth Crusade in the early thirteenth century. The famous bronze status of the “Horses of St. Mark” were brought to the Basilica at that time, and remained on the exterior of St. Mark’s until they were stolen by Napoleon in 1797. The Horses were returned to St. Mark’s Basilica in 1815, and are now able to be viewed inside the Basiica’s museum.
The musical heritage of St. Mark’s Basilica cannot be underestimated. The careers of so many remarkable composers and musicians were birthed there, including Giovanni Gabrieli; Claudio Monteverdi; Francesco Cavalli and his student, female composer Barbara Strozzi. Of course, probably the most famous of the Venetian composers who found his start in the musical world of St. Mark’s Basilica is none other than Antonio Vivaldi. Some of the most beautiful music in Western history was composed for liturgies at St. Mark’s Basilica.
Visiting the Basilica San Marco is a tiring endeavor. There are lines around the square to get in for what I consider to be a rather limited tour. Because the Basilica is an active, living Church, I recommend attending Mass, rather than touring the church. My family and I had the pleasure of attending the Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany on Saturday evening at 6:45PM. The liturgy was accompanied by Organ, and one of the priests of the Basilica served as cantor. The Mass was celebrated in Italian, but most of the Eurcharistic responses were sung in Latin. It was so much more meaningful to experience the Basilica through Mass, rather than simply walking the roped off perimeter of the building as part of a tour.
That being said, I do recommend waiting in line and paying the admission fee to see the Basilica’s museum. Touring the museum gives you the opportunity to see the church and its incredible mosaics from a different angle than the main-level of the church. You will also see the famed bronze Horses of St. Mark, and gorgeous illuminated musical scores of Gregorian chant, among other artifacts. It might be nice to plan to see the museum in the morning, right after you attend the first Mass offering of the day. Another fun tip: definitely take time to visit the famous Caffe Florian for dessert and coffee. It has been open and operating in its current place since December of 1720.
