St Mark's Basilica, St Mark's Square, Venice

St Mark’s Basilica

Venice, Italy

Originally the Doge of Venice’s private chapel, it became Venice cathedral in 1807

View the 11th century golden Basilica of Saint Mark, a status symbol of Venetian wealth and power

About St Mark’s Basilica

History of the Basilica of San Marco

St Mark’s Basilica structure dates back to the later part of the 11th century.

The gold mosaics that now cover almost all the upper areas of the interior (covering an area of about 8000 square meters) took centuries to complete.

Many of its rich artifacts and relics were plundered from Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade in 1204, including many artifacts from the Hagia Sophia.

Visiting St Mark’s Basilica

Useful Information

Location/Waterbus

Vaporetto Line 1 / Line 2 / For others see our vaporetto timetables

Buy vaporetto waterbus tickets | View timetables, routes & maps

Waterbus stop: S. Marco (Vallaresso)/S. Marco Giardinetti / S. Marco – S. Zaccaria

Opening Times

Monday to Saturday: 9.30am-5:15pm

Sundays and Bank Holidays: 2pm-5:15pm.

Tickets & Tours

Tickets: St Mark’s Basilica lines can be long at peak times. Book a ticket in advance to save time

St. Mark’s Basilica & Doge’s Palace Tour with Ticket

Guided Tours of St Mark’s Basilica / Skip-the-line Basilica & Doge’s Palace Guided Tour

Priority Entry Tickets and Bell Tower Option

Power of Venice

The Basilica was a status symbol, showing everyone who visited the power of Venice and it’s wealth. It is also, appropriately, named the Church of Gold.

Exotic Decoration

The Basilica has a feeling of exoticism. This comes from the variety of influences on the decoration including the Venetian style of the Renaissance Art.

The Basilica’s Story

St. Mark’s Basilica was originally constructed in 828 AD to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist, which, according to tradition, were smuggled out of Alexandria, Egypt, by two Venetian merchants and brought to Venice hidden in a barrel of pork to evade Muslim customs officers.

Fourth Crusade

Over the centuries, the Basilica has undergone numerous enhancements, often incorporating elements looted during the Fourth Crusade, including the famous Triumphal Quadriga (the four bronze horses) from Constantinople, now displayed inside the basilica, with replicas placed on the exterior.

Architectural Marvel

St. Mark’s is a stunning blend of Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles, reflecting Venice’s position at the crossroads of East and West. Its five domes and Greek cross layout are classic features of Byzantine church design, while Gothic and Renaissance elements were added during later renovations.

Opulent Mosaics

The basilica’s most distinctive feature is its opulent mosaics, covering over 8,000 square meters and made with real gold leaf, colored glass, and precious stones. These mosaics, many dating from the 11th to 13th centuries, depict biblical scenes, saints, and episodes from St. Mark’s life, creating a dazzling visual narrative.

The basilica’s floor is a mosaic in itself—made of intricate marble inlays that have been warped over centuries by Venice’s shifting foundations, giving it a rippling, almost aquatic appearance, perfectly in tune with the floating city.

What to see in St Mark’s Basilica

Pala d’Oro

Ornate, decorated, altarpiece in the Basilica of San Marco

The Pala d’Oro is the high altar retable of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. It is universally recognized as one of the most refined and accomplished works of Byzantine enamel, with both front and rear sides decorated. It was first commissioned in the year 976.

Precious Jewels

Like the mosaics in the Basilica itself, the golden Pala d’Oro is covered in 1,300 pearls, 300 emeralds, 300 sapphires, 400 garnets, 100 amethysts, rubies, and topaz.

Image by: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

St Mark’s Tomb

Where Saint Mark is said to have been buried (828AD) in Basilica San Marco. The corpse was stolen and smuggled all the way from Egypt by Venetian merchants. The primary intention of building the Basilica was to house a tomb for St Mark.

Saint Mark’s tomb, one of Christianity’s four Evangelists, is decorated with bronze and marble statues.

There’s some debate over whether it is St Mark in the tomb or Alexander the Great.

Image by: original photo amberapparently from Sydney, cropped and straightened Venicescapes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Venezia_Basilica_di_San_Marco_Innen_Quadriga_2

St Mark’s Museum

View the bronze horses, the gold ceiling mosaic tiles, the silk and silver tapestries and take in the view of St Mark’s Square from the terrace and a variety of Gothic and Byzantine manuscripts, artifacts, and liturgical objects.

St. Mark’s Museum houses a diverse array of items, both art and artifacts mainly from Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.

Image by: Zairon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By Testus – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Treasury of St Mark’s Basilica

A wonderful collection of precious objects such as Byzantine enamels, chalices, bowls, and more – many taken from the churches and palaces of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204

The Byzantine works of art in metalwork, enamel and hardstone carving constitute the most important part of the treasury.

There are also numerous Islamic works of art held in the collection, including a rare relief-cut turquoise glass bowl. This bowl was made in Iran or Iraq between the 9th and 10th centuries.

The Treasure is divided into four sections:

Objects from Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, Objects by Byzantine goldsmiths dating to the centuries around the year 1000, Objects of Islamic art (9th – 10th century), and objects of western origin.

Admission to the Basilica

You can freely enter the Basilica for prayers, Mass and Services from the Porta dei Fiori (Piazzetta dei Leoncini – North-Side).

Entrance €3. Pala d’Oro (supplement: €5). Museum – Loggia dei Cavalli (supplement:€7). Reduced (0-6 yrs old) Free

Skip the line tours, private tours and the after hours tours can often be a great way to avoid waiting a long time to enter the Basilica while giving you access to parts you may not otherwise be able to view (see below or the tours and tickets page).