Horses of Saint Mark, Bronze sculptures at Saint Mark's Basilica, Italy
Four copper horses stand on the facade of Saint Mark's Basilica, each measuring 238 centimeters in height and weighing approximately 850 kilograms.
The sculptures arrived in Venice as war trophies after the fall of Constantinople in 1204, where they previously adorned the Hippodrome since Roman times.
The earliest representation of these horses appears in a 1270 mosaic in Saint Alipio's portal, depicting the translation of Saint Mark's remains.
Since 1982, the original sculptures reside in Saint Mark's Museum for preservation, while exact replicas made by Battaglia Fine Art Foundry occupy their position.
The metallurgical analysis reveals an exceptionally high copper content of 96.67 percent, suggesting Greek craftsmanship rather than Roman manufacturing techniques.
Location: Venice
Inception: 2 century
Height: 238 cm
Made from material: bronze
GPS coordinates: 45.43446,12.33936
Latest update: May 26, 2025 20:49
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