Saint Mark’s Basilica

The Basilica of San Marco is the marvelous building which is the symbol of the magnificence and greatness of the Republic of Venice during the thousand years of life of the Serenissima. It underwent many changes over time from the primary brick construction, but already set up with the arches overlooking Piazza San Marco.

In 828 Giustiniano Partecipazio laid the foundations of the Basilica of St. Mark, after the body of the Evangelist was transported from Alexandria to Venice, reuniting the oratory of the previous church dedicated to St. Theodore.

After some fires, the Church was restored: it was covered in marble, the frescoes were eliminated and the basilica was completely covered in mosaics.

The predominant style is Byzantine Greek with some mixtures of Arabic and German. This church always remained the ducal chapel until 1807, the year in which it became a cathedral by Napoleon's edict.