Make Sure You Visit Piazza San Marco in Venice

by Jillian Kammer

If there’s one thing Europe has an abundance of, it’s ordinary public squares. But few of them compare to Piazza San Marco. You could spend an entire vacation taking in all the wonderful sites St. Mark’s has to offer. There are a dozen things to see but the Basilica di San Marco is one of the most fascinating.

Many visitors are attracted just for the chance to stand in the ancient square to see the sights of the Basilica, the Campanile, the Doge’s Palace and much more. Plus, there is no traffic or auto noise to mar the experience, which is unique to many public squares in Europe.

The piazza started out in the 9th century as nothing more than an open space outside of a church that has now been replaced. It was enlarged and reshaped into its current three sided area by the latter half of the 12 century and rapidly became a meeting place of the rich, poor, grand as well as humble. The all important offices of the Republic were located here and it was also where all the major festivals were held.

Doge’s Palace is also one of the best sights to see. The Palazzo Ducale di Venezia was the Palace of the Doge of Venice, who was the leader of the government. It was erected in the 14th century and incorporated several features which were considered innovative at that time. These include a series of arches on the lower story as well as heavier sections above them. It is now a museum, which holds paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese as well as many other famous artists that lived during that period.

Nearby is the Bridge of Sighs, which led to a 1600-era prison. It gained its present name from the poet Lord Byron in the 19th century. The thought was that prisoners would utter a sigh as they were led into the Doge’s prison after seeing the loveliness of Venice for the last time. Also, as legend has it, two lovers who kiss under the bridge in a gondola at sunset will enjoy love everlasting.

The bell tower of St. Mark’s, or the Campanile, is another sight in the square worth seeing. The present day Campanile di San Marco was finished in the year 1912 and was designed as an exact replica of a tower that collapsed ten years earlier. That structure had stood for nearly 500 years and acted as both a bell tower for the cathedral as well as a military watchtower from the 10th century. This tower alone makes a visit to the Piazza worthwhile. It’s breathtaking to watch the roof catch the warm Venice summer sun as it cascades it across the entire square.

Then there’s the Torre Dell’Orologio, or The Moors’ Clock Tower, which is another breathtaking sight in Piazza San Marco. The tower was completed in 1499 and it does much more than just tell time for the locals. It adds immeasurable beauty to the square with its five bays and two enormous bronze figures. It remains one of the city’s most grand public works. It also contains a series of dials that not only tell the time, but also tell the sign of the zodiac as well as the locations of the sun and the moon.

With so much to see in this part of Venice, visitors can be thankful for the Caf Florian which sits nearby. It’s been serving visitors and locals alike since around 1720. The coffee they serve will give you all the energy you need to see all that St. Mark’s has to offer.

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