Fairytale Italy, the sights of which silently testify to the rich history, arouse great interest among travelers. Charming Venice occupies a separate place among other cities of the country, and its architectural masterpieces are known throughout the world.
Medieval monument Basilica di San Marco
Ancient San Marco - a cathedral in Venice, which is rightfully recognized as an outstanding monument of art of the Middle Ages. The most beautiful building, which appeared in the 9th century, excites human hearts, making them beat harder at the sight of the rarest example of Byzantine architecture in Europe. In 1987, the attraction was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Residents of the city and foreign guests admire the ancient cathedral, which occupies an honorable place in the world treasury of architectural works.
St. Mark's Cathedral in St. Mark's Square
The main religious attraction of Venice is located in the Sestiere San Marco area, in the central square of the same name (Piazza San Marco), which is the hallmark of the city. Most tourists rush to get acquainted with the significant monuments of the country, to the famous San Marco in Venice (square).
The cathedral, whose history spans several centuries, showed the power and grandeur of the Republic of Venice. It was originally planned that the relics of St. Mark would be in the basilica, which in 829 were saved by Italian merchants from the desecration of Muslims and brought to the city by water from Alexandria. According to legend, an itinerant apostle came in a dream with an angel announcing that after his death he would find peace in Venice, and the merchants fulfilled his last will. When the shrine arrived in the city, the apostle received the status of his patron.
In 832, the first version of the cathedral appeared, which after 150 years was seriously destroyed by fire, but the remains of the saint were not damaged. Later, the basilica was restored, and she again pleased the parishioners. Its original architectural appearance was rather ascetic.
Modern Cathedral of San Marco: description, history, exact address
The construction of the modern basilica, located at San Marco, 328, 30124 Venezia, began in 1063, and already at the end of the century the building was consecrated. But for several centuries the decoration of the fabulously beautiful San Marco temple continued. The cathedral in Venice is an unusual attraction, because it was decorated with new generations of Venetians, who gave the appearance of a religious monument an originality. And as a result, the attraction, which became a place of pilgrimage for tourists, turned into a museum of art of the Middle Ages.
In the architectural appearance of the basilica, built of brick, there are elements of all kinds of styles. Marble of excellent quality, Greek bas-reliefs, Gothic capitals made up a wonderful whole ensemble. Thanks to the unique talent of builders in the world there is no such masterpiece that can compete in beauty and grandeur with San Marco.
The Cathedral in Venice, which went down in history as the Basilica of St. Mark, was not officially considered a cathedral in the Middle Ages, and until the beginning of the 19th century this status belonged to the city church of San Pietro di Castello.
The world’s masterpiece turned into the center of urban public life: here the heroes funerals, doge initiations and other important ceremonies took place, local residents went here in search of comfort. It is no exaggeration to say that St. Mark's Cathedral has become a religious and civil symbol of the city.
Relics brought from other countries
The luxurious decoration of the cathedral in Venice on Piazza San Marco was received between the 12th and 14th centuries. Decor elements are from different times and brought from other countries.
The shape of the cathedral is a Greek cross. The builders of Venice, economically and politically connected with Byzantium, learned a lot from the masters of a powerful empire, including the construction of the building, crowned with five domes resembling lanterns.
The facades of brick, which was not visible under the marble cladding, are decorated with various relics brought to Venice. For example, some reliefs depicting hunting scenes were made in Byzantium, and carved pylons were brought from Syria.
Pala d'Oro, created half a century
The majestic San Marco (Cathedral in Venice) is famous throughout the world for its unique golden altar, recognized as the richest among those that have survived to this day. Miniature medallions made using the cloisonne enamel technique are inserted into the upper part of the brightest element of the temple decoration . Expensive plates were taken out of Constantinople and are of the greatest value. Decorated with precious stones and gold, they are recognized as a true work of art.
Iconostasis and civorium
The altar is separated by a Gothic iconostasis of dark red marble, brought from Constantinople, from the central nave. He is crowned by a huge cross, and on both sides of the barrier are 14 sculptures: 12 apostles, a statue of the Virgin Mary and the Apostle Mark.
There is also a special canopy over the throne, bearing the name "civorium". Under it are stored the relics of the apostle, transferred in the 30s of the XIX century from the crypt, in a marble sarcophagus, which is supported by four alabaster columns. On each of them reliefs with images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ are carved.
Crypt basilica
In 1094, the relics of the apostle were placed in a crypt - a vaulted underground room designed to store shrines. After 400 years, it was closed for visits. After the fall of the Republic of Venice, services began again in the crypt.
In its center there is a chapel decorated with an openwork marble slab, under which the relics of the Apostle Mark were previously stored. In 1835 they were transferred to the main altar of the temple. The Crete of the San Marco Cathedral in Venice is of particular interest, since the surviving fragments of its architectural details are dated back to the time of the first cathedral.
What else is in the cathedral?
The altar of the Madonna is located on the left side of the basilica, and next to it is the chapel of Isidore, where the sarcophagus with the remains of the saint is stored.
In the right wing is a baptistery designed for infant baptism. Its walls are decorated with marble, and the vaults are decorated with mosaic compositions. In the center of the room there is a stone font with a bronze lid, and next to it a tombstone was erected for the most revered doge - Andrea Dandolo.
Luxurious mosaic work
Mosaic paintings on the walls and the dome cause a feeling of admiration. Many of them were made in the 13th century, and the earliest dates from the 9th century.
Luxurious compositions created by Italian craftsmen who worked with glass and stone. It is believed that Venetian artists were introduced to the art of mosaic by the Byzantines, who often visited the city.
Colorful mosaics on the walls of the basilica tell about the life of Jesus, tell about the patron saints of the city. In the center of the dome of the cathedral is the Ascension of Christ composition, and on the arches are episodes from the New Testament.
Marble imported from Constantinople
The beauty of the mosaics on the walls is surprisingly combined with a rich ornament made of natural marble floor tiles .
I must say that this rock in the decoration of the cathedral appeared only in the XIII century. Marble columns from the temples of Constantinople became the prey of the Fourth Crusade. The builders used new material, resulting in even greater splendor of the ancient St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice.
The Cathedral of San Marco can be called a real museum of Venetian and Byzantine art, which contains invaluable works of art.
Quadriga story
Above the entrance to the basilica is the famous four racing horses, which were cast from bronze by Greek sculptors in the 4th century BC. Quadriga at first served as a decoration of the Arc de Triomphe in Rome; later, several centuries later, it appeared on the gates of the hippodrome in Constantinople.
In the 13th century, the Venetian doge Enrique Dandolo, who pulled the country out of the economic crisis, captured the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and took out a sculpture as a trophy, which was later sent, by order of Napoleon, to Paris, where it stood on Carousel Square for about 18 years. After the defeat of Bonaparte's army, the quadriga returned to Venice, and by decision of the authorities it was hoisted over the main entrance of the basilica. In wartime, a sculpture with an amazing history was removed and hidden in shelters.
Today, the bronze horses of the San Marco Cathedral in Venice are in the Museum of the Basilica, and the architectural monument is crowned with a beautifully executed copy that appeared in the 70s of the last century.
Atrium
Through the main entrance, visitors enter the atrium, the walls of which are decorated with marble and mosaics, which delighted the artist Surikov to the core. The canvases narrate the events of the Old Testament, and each day of God's creation of the world is designated by a snow-white angel. Here is located the tomb of Dogaresses (wife of the Doge), decorated with stone lace, Felicity Mikiel.
Touching the collection of treasures of charming Venice and receiving the blessing of St. Mark is very simple today - just go to the cathedral that stores the relics of the apostle, which is a chronicle of religious and civil history.
Before the visitors of the basilica there is a unique biography of the most unusual city on the water, which for several centuries has been attracting admired travelers from different parts of our planet.