St Mark's Bell tower, St Mark's Square, Venice
St Mark’s Campanile (Belltower)
Venice, Italy
One of the most dominant sights in St Mark’s Square
Activity
View Venice from St Mark’s belltower. Take a lift (elevator) to the top and admire a 360 degree panorama of Venice.
From the top you can view where the Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei demonstrated the first telescope.
TICKETS
The lines for St Mark’s bell tower can be long at busy times. Make the most of your time and skip-the-line.
Includes skip-the-line entrance ticket to St. Mark’s Bell Tower and a downloadable audio guide app with commentary about the city of Venice
INFORMATION/TICKETS
ST MARK’S CAMPANILE (BELLTOWER)
WATER BUS STOP
San Zaccaria – 4 mins
San Marco (Vallaresso) – 5 mins
WALKING FROM
Rialto Bridge, 7 minutes / Ferrovia (train station), 30 minutes
*All times approximate
OPENING TIMES
April – October: 8:30am – 9pm
Nov – March: 9:30am – 5:30pm
ENTRANCE FEE/TICKETS
Entrance from €10.00 / Skip the Line €16.50
Reduced (0-6 yrs old) Free
About
The tower was initially intended as a watchtower to view approaching ships and protect the entry to the city. It also served as a landmark to guide Venetian ships safely into harbour.
Construction began in the early tenth century and continued sporadically over time as the tower was slowly raised in height The campanile was rebuilt from scratch and inaugurated in 1912, after it collapsed entirely to the ground in 1902. This extremely conservative restoration has been the result of the immediate motto that every Venetian adopted after the tragic fall: we want it where it was and how it was.
Guide to the Bells
St Mark’s Belltower has five bells. These bells 5 bells marked, regulated and announced time and events in Venetian life. Each bell had its own name and its own purpose.
1. Marangona
This rang to mark the beginning and end of the working day for the craftsmen of the Arsenale.
2. Mezzana
This bell was rung at midday.
3. Trottiera
So called because on hearing it the patricians had to hurry to the Ducal Palace, urging their horses to a trot.
4. Mezza Terza
The Mezza Terza announced Senate meetings.
5. Renghiera
This was the smallest bell and it announced an execution.
Tip
If the tower is too crowded, get the number 2 vaporetto to San Giorgio Maggiore and visit the tower here which gives great views over St Mark’s Square
St. Mark’s Campanile: Skip The Line Entrance
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