St Mark's Basilica, Cathedral in San Marco, Venice, Italy
St Mark's Basilica is a cruciform church with five domes, its lower facade of pale stone pierced by five arched portals and its upper level filled with four gold-ground mosaic arches. Two red flagpoles stand before the central portal, and a golden winged lion tops the roof gable.
Construction of the current church began in 1063 after fire destroyed the earlier building, following Byzantine patterns that reflected Venice's trade ties to the East. The interior mosaics were created mostly between the 12th and 13th centuries and completed in several phases by different workshops.
The four bronze horses above the central portal are copies; the originals, looted from Constantinople in 1204, are kept inside. The Pala d'Oro altarpiece, begun in 976 and reworked in 1342–1345, is shown only on certain days. The winged lion of Saint Mark appears on the facade and on the flagpoles' banners.
Entry requires appropriate clothing covering shoulders and knees, and it's best not to go in with an ice cream in hand. Queues can be long, especially in the morning, so visiting late in the afternoon is often easier.
The golden altarpiece behind the main altar is set with around 2000 gemstones and is considered one of the finest examples of Byzantine goldwork. Its creation took several centuries and combines elements from different periods and workshops.
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