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What to see in Venic San Marco district
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San Marco district in Venice
The Doge's Palace
The monumental entrance was the Porta della Carta, enchanting example of
floral Gothic style that contains two bronze well-curbs. The courtyard
is surrounded by porticoes with a top loggia. On the eastern side there
is the Scala dei Giganti (Giants' Staircase). It is thus called because
of the two enormous statues by Sansovino at the sides. The stairway goes
up to the loggia but to reach the top floors we go up the Scala d'Oro
('Golden staircase). It owes the name to the lavish frescoes and gilded
stuccowork. It was from the Doge's Palace that the Venetian Republic was
ruled and it is still the highest expression of Venetian art. It was the
residence og the Doge and the seat of the main government departments.
As one walks through the its rooms the history and glory of the Venetian
Republic is revealed in its paintings and sculptures.
Archaeological Museum
This houses amongst other things the famous collections by Domenico
Grimani and by his nephew Giovanni. They are a priceless collection from
the church of Santa Maria Formosa. Upon leaving the Ala Napoleonica,
just after the 'Bocca di Piazza', we come to the church of San Moisč.
This originally eight-century building was rebuilt in the tenth century
by Mosč Venier, who wanted to dedicate it to the saint after which he
was named. We then come to Calle (Street) Larga XXII Marzo. This was
built in 1880 by widening Calle San Moisč and contrasted with the lower
surrounding buildings. Today, this road is lined with shops as far as
Bocca di Piazza. These shops were chosen by the most famous names in
gold jewellery, leather goods and international and Italian fashion and
offer for sale their latest and finest products.
Saint Mark's Basilica
The Basilica is a wonderful example of Byzantine Venetian architecture.
It was at one time the Doge's chapel but it was also the mausoleum for
Saint Mark, the patron saint, whose life is narrated in the golden
mosaics on the walls.
Saint Mark's Square
It is trapezoidal, and the Procuratie Vecchie and Procuratie Nuove run
along the two extensive sides. They are known as old ('vecchie') and new
('nuove') on the basis of the age of the buildings over the arcades of
the ground-level porticoes.
The Clocktower
The Procuratie Vecchie runs along the north side of the square from the
Clocktower and have kept their Renaissance features. They are followed
by the Ala Napoleonica. This was built in 1810 by the architect Giuseppe
Soli on the site of the demolished San Geminiano church, which was built
Jacopo Sansovino. The Procuratie Nuove runs along the west side of the
square and includes the Libreria di San Marco which was designed by
Jacopo Sansovino at the request of the Venetian Republic to house the
codicils donated to it by Cardinal Bessarione. The clocktower is at the
start of the Merceria, the road that leads from Saint Mark's Square to
the Campo di San Bartolomeo. The name Merceria refers to the many shops
on both sides of it.
La Fenice Opera House
Halfway down Calle Larga XXII we turn right into Campo San Fantin where
the church of San Fantin stands. This dates back to the ninth century
but was rebuilt in the sixteenth century by Scarpagnino. Opposite, there
is the La Fenice Opera House. This was originally built in 1790 to a
design by Selva. It burnt down in 1836 but like the phoenix ('fenice' in
Italian) it was rebuilt in the same style by Meduna in just over a year.
The opera house reflected the spirit of Venice of the town. It was
destroyed by a fire in 1996 but the determination of the Venetians
brought it back 'the way it was' in December 2003. We come back into
Calle Larga XXII Marzo and go on until we reach Campo di Santa Maria del
Giglio or Zobenigo with the church dedicated dedicated to this saint.
'Zobenigo' is a reference to the Jubenigo family, who had the church
built in the tenth century. The inside is a single room decorated with
the works of many painters from the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
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