Finding God and Gold in St Mark’s Basilica
Pictures don’t do it justice. Not by a long shot. It wasn’t until I stood in front of St Mark’s Basilica that I understood the praise it receives.
On our second day in Venice, after walking by the basilica several times already, we finally made our way into its golden interior. Despite the anticipation, I wasn’t prepared for the wonder that met my eyes upon entering St Mark’s Basilica.
If you’re planning a visit to Venice, keep reading to see what my experience was like and prepare for your own time in St Marks’s Basilica.
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My Summary
| Hours | Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. (last entry at 4:45) Does not open till 2:00 p.m. on Sundays |
| Length of Visit | 30-60 minutes |
| Cost | Starting at €3 Skip-the-line tickets €6 |
| Highlights | Exterior facade, Pala d’Oro, view of the piazza from the terrace, Horses of St Mark, beautiful mosaic-work |
Admiring St Mark’s Basilica’s Exterior
I made sure to visit earlier that morning to take in the facade without crowds of people. Unfortunately, during our visit there were renovations happening, so a large portion of the front facade was hidden behind scaffolding.
Nonetheless, I was still able to take in most of the mosaics albeit with unsightly scaffolding hovering just below. The four mosaics on the bottom half of the basilica tell the story of how St Mark’s remains were “rescued” from Egypt by two Venetian merchants and brought back to Venice. On the upper half are scenes from the Passion of Christ.
Because of the scaffolding, I wasn’t able to get very close to these mosaics, but even from afar it is easy see how intricate and ornate they are. It’s bewildering to think of the skill that went into making these works of art!
Apart from the mosaics, the other feature I took time to observe were the basilica’s onion domes. This is the most telling aspect from the exterior of St Mark’s that you are not looking at a traditional Western European basilica. In fact, much of St Mark’s Basilica is pointedly done in a more Byzantine style due to Venice’s political ties with Byzantium during its construction.
The change in style from what I am accustomed to is what impressed me most. In addition to its physical beauty, it’s such a unique building within Christendom that it is hard not to be awed by it.
Make sure to observe the exterior from up close and at a distance before heading inside. The detail in its art and construction is immaculate. However, the whole scene with the campanile and the Doge’s Palace is breathtaking.
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Entering St Mark’s Threshold
The entry to the basilica is on the main facade of the building facing out towards Piazza San Marco. Sadly, my entrance lacked some of the initial awe due to the renovation work. That changed once I passed the scaffolding and saw the welcoming arms of St Mark overhead greeting visitors and worshippers alike.
Below St Mark are more mosaics of important Christian figures. The upper ring of people includes the Virgin Mary and eight apostles while the lower ring are the four evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
These first mosaics were unlike anything I had seen in a religious building up to that point. The detail of the people was astonishing. It was almost hard to tell these were mosaics and not painted frescoes. The goldwork was the most breathtaking feature, though. It imparted a heavenly glow around St Mark as if you were walking into a domain of angels.
This was just a precursor for what was to come further inside St Mark’s Basilica.
If you enjoy religious history and art, be sure to read my guide to the Field of Miracles and the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Walking Through St Mark’s Basilica
Finally, here I was in this esteemed basilica. I had seen pictures and read about what the inside was like. Yet, to actually experience it was greater than I ever imagined. To say words and pictures don’t do it justice is an understatement.
St Mark’s Basilica is glorious in every sense of the word. It’s an absolute wonder for the senses. I’ve never before been in a building, religious or otherwise, where everywhere you look is filled with something to capture the imagination. At times, I felt overwhelmed because I didn’t know where to turn my gaze.
There is this sense of not wanting to miss something. However, it’s hard to look away from anything because of how the artistry keeps your attention.
There is a gold enameling throughout the basilica which creates this otherworldly ambience. In a way it feels almost decadent. It’s frankly difficult to nail down the right description. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every bit of it.
I imagine the overwhelming sense of devotion commoners must have felt when they set their eyes on the inner workings of St Mark’s. Even I, a professed cynic of all things, couldn’t help but feel a sense of spirituality creep in with the sheer scope of religiosity contained within these walls.
I won’t go into specifics because the attempt would be futile. There’s simply too much to describe. I’m not sure the specifics are even what matters when you walk through St Mark’s Basilica. The architects and artists attempted to impress upon man the power and might of the Catholic faith. Without question, they succeeded.
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The Pala d’Oro and St Mark’s Treasury
Pala d’Oro
Once we walked through the main part of the basilica, we made our way towards the back where the Pala d’Oro is located. After waiting in a short line and showing our ticket, we went behind the alter to view this fabulous piece of Byzantine art.
In English, Pala d’Oro is translated to the Golden Altarpiece, an entirely fitting name. The altarpiece is believed to have been first made in 976 with further enhancements made in the 12th and 14th centuries. It depicts various religious scenes and figures, but those are not what make the Pala d’Oro so memorable. I honestly even barely even noticed the people etched into the gold.
What makes it so famous are the many enamels and gems decorating the gold sheet. I’ll spare you the specifics, but there are 187 blue-backed enamels and 1,927 gems that come together to create this elaborate masterpiece.
To be sure, it was impressive to behold. On the other hand, considering the grandeur and opulence of the rest of the basilica, it kind of felt like a distraction from everything else. It’s personal preference, though. I prefer the large-scale mosaics and paintings when I’m in a religious building.
My other complaint with the Pala d’Oro was the lighting. The way it was lit created a reflection on the gold making it difficult to fully appreciate the whole piece. Perhaps had it been easier to see I would have appreciated it more.
Regardless, I don’t regret paying a little extra to see the Pala d’Oro as it’s a unique object you won’t see anywhere else. It also gives you access to a small chapel behind the altar with a beautiful gold etching that I found rather interesting.
Tickets for the Pala d’Oro can be booked in advance here and cost €5 or €12 with skip-the-line tickets. This price includes St Mark’s Treasury.
St Mark’s Treasury
As for St Mark’s Treasury? I can’t say because we completely missed this section during our visit despite having tickets for it.
The Treasury contains an assortment of chalices, reliquaries and jewels. Many of these items were taken from Constantinople and some are almost 2,000 years old.
The Treasury is located to the right of the nave (the main open area of the basilica) in a corner of the south transept. Be on the lookout for it because neither Michelle nor I can even remember seeing anything that looked like it might be another section to the basilica.
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St Mark’s Museum and Terrace
The Museum
Having taken in as much of the basilica as we could, it was time to head upstairs to the museum. The museum contains more mosaics at eye-level, allowing you to see up-close the intricacy of these artworks. It truly is amazing to think of someone hundreds of years ago assembling these from enamels as small – and oftentimes smaller than – a fingernail.
Nevertheless, the real highlights here are the Horses of St Mark and the terrace overlooking Piazza San Marco.
The Horses of St Mark are a set of four nearly life-size copper horses. They were sent to Venice after the sacking of Constantinople in 1204 where they were placed on the exterior of St Mark’s Basilica overlooking the piazza. In the 1980s, they were replaced by replicas, and the originals were set inside the basilica for conservation purposes.
Before stepping out to the terrace, I took some time to look down at the basilica. This was a great vantage point to view the impeccable marble and enamel work of the basilica’s floor, something that might get overlooked by the majestic mosaics overhead when you’re at ground level.
Make sure to take a look at my 2-day Venice itinerary for other things to do in this beautiful city!
The Terrace
We next headed outside onto St Mark’s terrace where we had epic views of the piazza to the west and the lagoon to the south. I took my time here, making sure I saw everything stretching away from the building and smaller details of the basilica itself that I couldn’t see from the ground.
The better views are west and south, but I enjoyed walking along the northern part of the basilica, too. I was alone on this section of the terrace to admire the Clocktower and reflect on everything I had seen so far. This section also contained one of my favorite pieces of art in the whole basilica.
It was simply a statue of a man carrying a basket out of which protrudes a drain. To the right of the statue were some weeds growing out of the building, nourished by the water from the drain.
I loved how the creators of this magnificent building incorporated this functional detail into the art while nature worked to slowly reclaim its space.
Tickets for St Mark’s Museum are €7 or €15 with skip-the-line tickets. I highly recommend these tickets for the terrace alone!
Important Info for Visiting St Mark’s Basilica
Review Your Art History
While not essential, you will appreciate your visit so much more if you have some idea about what you’re looking at. You don’t have to be an expert, but try to know at least some basic information on the basilica.
I already mentioned a lot of the information I found helpful when visiting. In addition to this, I recommend looking up some basic Byzantine symbolism and the major artworks within the basilica to give everything some context.
Dress Code
St Mark’s Basilica is a functioning religious institution. As such, it has some clothing regulations to ensure everyone is showing the proper respect.
Shorts, miniskirts and sleeveless tops are not allowed. In other words, cover your legs and arms.
Bag Check
Large bags are not allowed inside the basilica. If you have luggage or large bags, there is luggage storage just a few meters away in the small square to the left of the entrance. Locker rentals start at $2.
There are no strict guidelines as to what constitutes a large bag. I was able to enter with my 40-liter hiking backpack and Michelle entered with her handbag. If you’re not sure about your bag, try asking an employee or watching other visitors to see what they’re walking in with before getting in line.
Ticket Options for St Mark’s Basilica
General entry to just the basilica is €3. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance.
Besides general entry to the basilica, there is one other ticket option worth mentioning. All other ticket options can be viewed here.
Skip-the-Line Tickets
Like many of Italy’s major tourist attractions, you can buy tickets to skip the line at St Mark’s Basilica. There is a small fee associated with these tickets, but considering how long the line to enter can be, it’s worth it.
These tickets cost €6 and can be purchased here. Once you have your ticket, you can either print them ahead of time or show the QR code from your cell phone.
Travel Tip: Go through your itinerary the night before to take screenshots of all your tickets for the next day. Emails with ticket attachments are often in Italian, making it difficult to find in the heat of the moment. Taking screenshots ahead of time will make the process of entering museums and churches much smoother.
Other Things to do Near St Mark’s Basilica
Because the main tourist zone of Venice is so small, there is no shortage of things keep you busy near St Mark’s Basilica. Here are just a few of the most immediate things to visit before or after seeing the basilica.
- The Doge’s Palace
- St Mark’s Campanile
- The Correr Museum
- The Clock Tower
- Enjoy a drink at one of Piazza San Marco’s cafes
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