St Mark's Square

St Mark's Square in Venice is one of Italy's most famous squares, renowned for its beauty. It is so well-known that Napoleon called it the 'salon of Europe'.
Located in the heart of Venice, it is the only square to be named as such; other similar spaces are called 'campi' and 'campielli'.

As it is in the lowest part of the city, it is the first area to be affected by high tides. In these cases, pedestrian access to the square is ensured by the installation of walkways.
Thanks to the MOSE project, which involves the installation of mobile barriers at the lagoon inlets that are activated when tides rise, this situation will occur less frequently.

In the square, you will find the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Basilica, which has a bell tower offering splendid views as it is the tallest building in the city.

The monumental area of Piazza San Marco consists of three sections: Piazza San Marco, Piazzetta San Marco and Piazzetta dei Leoncini.

Piazza San Marco

The actual square is surrounded by the Procuratie Napoleoniche, Vecchie and Nuove.

Here you will find St Mark's Basilica, Venice's cathedral and the centre of public and religious life.
With over 4,000 square meters of mosaics and 500 columns dating back to the 3rd century, it is definitely worth a visit.
The Basilica is dominated by gold, and the body of Saint Mark is also preserved here.
Entry to the Basilica is free, but some areas, such as the Museum, the Treasury and the Pala d'Oro, require an additional fee. You can also purchase a combined ticket for the Doge's Palace.

Between Piazzetta dei Leoncini and the Procuratie stands the Clock Tower, which was completed in 1499. The uniqueness of the clock lies in its carillon system, which is activated only on Epiphany and Ascension Day. Wooden statues representing characters from the Nativity and the Three Wise Men appear at each hour.

Piazzetta San Marco

Piazzetta San Marco extends the space in front of the Doge's Palace and is characterized by the two granite columns bearing the statues of Venice's patron saints, Saint Theodore and the Lion of Saint Mark.
Capital punishments were once carried out between the two columns, which is why Venetians still prefer to walk around them instead of passing through.

During Carnival, the best acrobats used to perform in the small square, and the Flight of the Dove still takes place from the bell tower to the pier today.