Piazza San Marco

The political and religious heart of Venice, it is difficult to imagine that the Piazza San Marco was once a humble monastery garden crossed by a stream. Indeed, for visitors, the Piazza San Marco is the central focus of any visit, containing as it does three of the major Venetian sights--the Basilica San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale, and the Campanile or bell tower. The Basilica and Doge's Palace command the east side of the square, while other stately buildings along its border have been the backdrop for magnificent processions celebrating victorious commanders, visiting dignitaries, and festivals. The western end was remodelled by Napoleon, who wished to construct a royal palace there. It was he who referred to the Piazza as "the drawing room of Europe." Today the Piazza continues to bustle with elegant (and expensive!) cafes, live orchestras, the omni-present pigeons, and costumed Carnival crowds. It is also a portion of Venice that is constantly menaced by rising waters. Even when we visited in June, a high tide turned the Piazza into a giant wading pool.

Instructions: Place the cursor on a number to view that feature in a new window. Click on "Close" to shut that window and return to the basilica diagram. [Hint: be certain not to drag the mouse over another number, or it will open that window instead] Be sure your ad-blocker is turned off for this site. If this doesn't work (or negotiating between the numbers is too annoying), click on the links in the box below. The circles marked "VR" contain 360 degree panoramas of the Piazza.