For the Basilica di San Marco in Rome, see Basilica di San Marco (Rome).

"Saint Mark's Cathedral" and "St Mark's Cathedral" redirect here. For other uses, see Saint Mark's Cathedral (disambiguation). Saint Mark's Cathedral are several Cathedrals named for Saint Mark ( Mark the Evangelist)

Saint Mark's Basilica Basilica di San Marco a Venezia
Saint Mark's Basilica in the evening
Basic information
Location	Venice, Italy
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic
District	Patriarch of Venice
Year consecrated	8 October 1094
Ecclesiastical status	Cathedral
Leadership	Angelo Cardinal Scola
Website	Basilica di San Marco a Venezia website
Architectural description
Architect(s)	Unknown
Architectural style	Byzantine and Gothic architecture
Year completed	1617
Specifications
Length	76,50 m
Width	62,50 m
Dome(s)	Five
Dome height (outer)	43 m
Dome height (inner)	28,15 m

Saint Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco a Venezia), the cathedral of Venice, is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The following is a list of Religions and spiritual traditions, however it excludes modern religions which can be found in List of new religious movements. The Patriarch of Venice is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. Events 314 - Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I at the Battle of Cibalae, and loses Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a Church or Christian denomination. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral Angelo Cardinal Scola (born 7 November, 1941) is an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Philosopher and Theologian An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction Architectural styles classify Architecture in terms of Form, techniques, Materials, time period region etc Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. It lies on St Mark's Square (in the San Marco sestiere or district) adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Piazza San Marco, often known in English as St Mark's Square, is the principal square of Venice, Italy. San Marco is one of the six sestieri of Venice, lying in the heart of the city The Doge's Palace is a gothic Palace in Venice. In Italian it is called the Palazzo Ducale di Venezia. Originally it was the "chapel" of the Venetian rulers, and not the city's cathedral. Since 1807 it has been the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. Year 1807 ( MDCCCVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Patriarch of Venice is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. The Patriarch of Venice is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church. For its opulent design, gilded Byzantine mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century on the building was known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold). Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic

History

The building

The first St Mark's was a temporary building in the Doge’s Palace, constructed in 828, when Venetian merchants stole the supposed relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria. The Doge's Palace is a gothic Palace in Venice. In Italian it is called the Palazzo Ducale di Venezia. Events By Place Europe Egbert of Wessex becomes the first King of England. "Saint Mark" redirects here For other uses see Saint Mark (disambiguation. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια This was replaced by a new church on its present site in 832; from the same century dates the first St Mark's Campanile (bell tower). St Mark's Campanile is the Bell tower of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy, located in the square (piazza of the same name The new church was burned in a rebellion in 976, rebuilt in 978 and again to form the basis of the present basilica since 1063. The Latin word basilica (derived from Greek, Basiliké Stoà, Royal Stoa) was originally used to describe a Roman The basilica was consecrated in 1094, the same year in which the body of Saint Mark was supposedly rediscovered in a pillar by Vitale Falier, doge at the time. Vitale Faliero Dodoni (also spelled Falier de' Doni, died 1095 was Doge of Venice from 1084 until his death The Doge ( Venetian language, also Doxe, derived from Latin Dux military leader duke cf The building also incorporates a low tower (now housing St Mark’s Treasure), believed by some to have been part of the original Doge's Palace. Within the first half of the 13th century the narthex and the new façade were constructed, most of the mosaics were completed and the domes were covered with higher wooden, lead-covered domes in order to blend in with the Gothic architecture of the redesigned Doge's Palace. The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area located at the end of the Nave, at the far end from the church's main Altar. A facade or façade (fəˈsɑːd is generally one side of the exterior of a Building, especially the front but also sometimes the sides and rear See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.

The completion

While the basic structure of the building has been little altered, its decoration changed greatly over time. The succeeding centuries, especially the fourteenth, all contributed to its adornment, and seldom did a Venetian vessel return from the Orient without bringing a column, capitals, or friezes, taken from some ancient building, to add to the fabric of the basilica. A column in Structural engineering is a vertical structural element that transmits through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural In Architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an Entablature and may be plain or &ndash in the Ionic or Corinthian order &ndash Gradually, the exterior brickwork became covered with various marbles and carvings, some much older than the building itself (see Four Tetrarchs, below). Brickwork Masonry is produced when a Bricklayer uses Bricks and mortar to build up structures such as Walls Bridges and A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from Glass, Clay, or Agate. The last interventions concerned Baptistery and St Isidor’s Chapel (1300s), the carvings on the upper profile of the façade and the Sacristy (1400s), the Zen Chapel (1500s).

The key figures

As a "State church", till 1807 the basilica was not subject to the bishop (patriarch since 1451), whose cathedral was San Pietro di Castello. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family San Pietro di Castello is an island in the Venetian Lagoon, forming part of the Castello sestiere. The doge himself appointed for celebrations a special clergy led by the primicerio. The procurators’, an important organ of the Republic of Venice, were in charge of administration; their seats were the Procuratie, in St Mark’s Square. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The Procuratie (literally " procuracies " are three connected buildings on St Mark's Square in Venice. All building and restoring works were directed by the proto: great architects such as Jacopo Sansovino and Baldassarre Longhena had this title. An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction Jacopo d'Antonio Sansovino ( July 2 1486 &ndash November 27 1570) was an Italian sculptor and architect known best for his works Baldassarre Longhena (1598 &ndash February 18 1682) was a 17th century Architect, who worked mainly in Venice, where he was one of the greatest Procurators and proto still exist and accomplish the same tasks for the Patriarchate.

Exterior

San Marco di Venezia, as seen from the Piazza San Marco

The exterior of the basilica is divided in three registers: lower, upper, and domes. A dome is a common structural element of Architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a Sphere. In the lower register of the façade five round-arched portals, enveloped by polychrome marble columns, open into the narthex through bronze-fashioned doors. Portal is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building gate or fortification and especially a grand entrance to an important structure Above the central door round three bas-relief cycles of Romanesque art. A bas-relief (baʁəljɛf in French; French for "low relief" derived from the Italian basso rilievo) or low relief is a Sculpture Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century or later depending on region The external cycle frames a 19th century gilded mosaic (Last Judgment) that replaced a damaged one with the same subject (during the centuries many mosaics had to be replaced inside and outside the basilica, but subjects were never changed). Mosaics about St Mark relics’ stories are in the lunettes of the lateral portals; the first on the left is the only one in the façade preserved from the 13th century. In architecture a lunette (French lunette "little moon" and also "glasses" is a half-moon shaped space either masonry or void In the upper register, from the top of ogee arches, statues of Theological and Cardinal Virtues, four Warrior Saints and St Mark watch over the city. The three Theological Virtues listed in the Bible are Faith ( - steadfastness in belief Hope ( - expectation of and desire In some Christian traditions there are four cardinal virtues: Prudence - to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time Above the large central window of the façade, under St Mark, the Winged Lion (his symbol) holds the book quoting “Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus” . In the lunettes of the lateral ogee arches are four gilded mosaics renewed in the 17th century. In the center of the balcony the Roman Horses face the square.

The Greek Horses

Horses.

The Horses of Saint Mark were installed on the basilica in about 1254. The Triumphal Quadriga or Horses of Saint Mark is a set of Roman or Greek Bronze statues of four Horses originally They date to Classical Antiquity; by some accounts they once adorned the Arch of Trajan. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who The horses were long displayed at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, and in 1204 Doge Enrico Dandolo sent them back to Venice as part of the loot sacked from Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade. The Hippodrome of Constantinople (Sultanahmet Meydanı At Meydanı was a horse-racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of Enrico Dandolo (also Anglicised Henry Dandolo or in Latin Henricus Dandulus, 1107? &ndash June 21 1205) was the Doge Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. They were brought to Paris by Napoleon in 1797 but returned to Venice in 1815. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Year 1797 ( MDCCXCVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year After a long restoration, since the 1990s they have been kept in St Mark’s Museum (inside the basilica). The horses now on the facade of the cathedral are bronze replicas.

The Four Tetrarchs

The Four Tetrarchs.

As the Roman Empire began the process of disintegration, Emperor Diocletian imposed a new Imperial office structure: a four co-emperor ruling plan called The Tetrarchy. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( ca. December 22 244 The modern historian Timothy Barnes takes December 22 as his birthdate Tetrarchy ( Greek: "leadership of four " can be applied to any system of government where power is divided between four individuals This porphyry statue represents the inter-dependence of the four rulers. Porphyry is a variety of Igneous rock consisting of large-grained Crystals such as Feldspar or Quartz, dispersed in a fine-grained It was taken from Constantinople, during the Fourth Crusade in 1204, and set into the south-west corner of the basilica (the above mentioned low tower) at the level of the Piazza San Marco. The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. The missing foot of one of the figures was discovered in Istanbul in the 1960s, where it is still on display.

Narthex

Originally, the narthex embraced the western arm of the basilica on the three sides; later the southern part was closed to obtain the Baptistery (1300s) and the Zen Chapel (1500s). The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area located at the end of the Nave, at the far end from the church's main Altar. The narthex prepare the visitors’ eyes to the suffused atmosphere of the gilded interior, just like the Old Testament stories represented in its mosaic ceiling prepare to the Gospel of the basilica’s. The main subjects are Genesis and the life of Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses. Beside the main portal remain the Evangelists, 11th century mosaics that decorated the entrance to St Mark’s even before the narthex was built.

Ceiling mosaic.

Interior

The interior is based on a Greek cross, with each arm divided in three naves and emphasized by a dome of its own. This is based on Justinian's Basilica of the Apostles in Constantinople. The marble floor (1100s, but underwent many restorations) is entirely tessellated in geometric patterns and animal designs. The techniques used were opus sectile and opus tessellatum. Opus sectile refers to an art technique popularized in Rome where materials were cut and inlaid into walls and floors to make a picture or pattern Opus tessellatum refers to a type of Mosaic made from Tesserae. The lower register of walls and pillars is completely covered with polychrome marble slabs. Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of The transition between the lower and the upper register is delimited all around the basilica by passageways which largely substituted the former galleries.

The presbytery

The eastern arm has a raised presbytery with a crypt beneath. The Presbytery is the name for an area in a Church building which is reserved for the Clergy. In terms of European architecture a crypt (from the Latin crypta and the Greek κρυπτη, kryptē) is a stone chamber or The presbytery is separated by an iconostasis (altar screen, typical of Byzantine churches): this is formed by eight red marble columns crowned with a high Crucifix and statues by Pier Paolo and Jacobello Dalle Masegne, masterpiece of Gothic sculpture (late 14th century). In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis (the plural is iconostases) also called the Templon, is a wall of Icons and religious paintings Byzantine architecture is the Architecture of the Byzantine Empire. This article is about Gothic art See also Gothic architecture Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that lasted about 200 On the right is the ambo from which the newly-elected doge appeared. Behind the iconostasis, marble banisters with Sansovino's bronze statues of the Evangelists and Paliari's of the Four Doctors mark the access to the high altar, which contains St Mark’s relics. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place Above the high altar is a canopy (“ciborium”) on columns decorated with remarkable relieves; the altarpiece is the famous Pala d'Oro (Golden Pall) [1], a masterpiece of Byzantine craftsmanship, originally designed for an antependium. A ciborium (plural ciboria) is a covered container used in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and related churches to store the consecrated hosts A relief is a Sculptured Artwork where a modeled form is raised (or alternatively lowered from a flattened background without being disconnected from it An altarpiece is a picture or Relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the Altar of a church Pala d’Oro (literally "Golden Pall" is a high Altar Retable of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. An antependium (Latin "to hang before" pl antependia) more commonly known as a hanging, or when speaking specifically of the hanging The choir stalls are embellished with inlaying by Fra Sebastiano Schiavone, and above them on both sides are three relieves by Sansovino.

Behind the presbytery are the sacristy and a 15th century church consecrated to St Theodore (the first patron saint of Venice) where is displayed a painting (Child’s Adoration) by Giambattista Tiepolo. Saint Theodore of Amasea (d 306 Amasenus, now Amasya Turkey) is one of the Greek Military saints of the 4th century the earlier Patron saint See also Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (or Giandomenico Tiepolo) or Lorenzo Baldissera Tiepolo, both sons of Giovanni Battista

Right transept

On the right of the iconostasis is the ambo from which the newly-elected doge appeared. In the left aisle are St Clement’s chapel and the Holy Host altar. St Clement may refer to Pope Clement I, also known as St Clement of Rome (died c Here is the pillar where St Mark’s relics were rediscovered in 1094, as depicted in the interesting mosaics of the right aisle (where the entrance to St Mark’s Treasure is).

Left transept

On the left of the iconostasis is the ambo for the Holy Scripture reading; on the right aisle are St Peter’s chapel and the Madonna Nicopeia, a venerated Byzantine icon. On the northern side are St Isidor’s chapel and the Mascoli chapel.

Mosaic

The upper order of the interior is completely covered with bright mosaics containing gold, bronze, and the greatest variety of stones. Art History Mosaics of the 4th century BC are found in the Macedonian palace-city of Aegae, and they enriched the floors of Hellenistic The decorated surface is on the whole about 8000 m2. In the most ancient works, both Byzantine and Gothic influences can be recognized, as for example in the Saints from the 11th century between the windows of the apse. In the vault above is a mosaic with Christ Pantocrator. Meaning The most common translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All-powerful From the apse towards the entrance (from east to west) one can contemplate the history of Salvation in the domes: the Prophets, the Ascension and the Pentecost (Whitsun). The domes over the transept are called St John’s (stories of St John the Evangelist) and St Leonard’s (with other saints). Saint John the Evangelist (d ca 110 יוחנן " The LORD is merciful" Standard Hebrew Yoḥanan, Tiberian Hebrew In the vaults between the domes are represented episodes of Jesus’ life. As mentioned above, restorations and replacements were often necessary thereafter, and great painters such as Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Castagno, the Veronese), Jacopo Tintoretto and his son Domenico took part drawing the cartoons. Paolo Uccello (born Paolo di Dono, 1397 &ndash December 10 1475) was an Italian painter who was notable for his pioneering work on visual "Castagna" redirects here For other meanings see Castagna (disambiguation. Paolo Veronese (1528 – April 19 1588 was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana Tintoretto (real name Jacopo Comin; September 29, 1518 - May 31, 1594) was one of the greatest painters of the Venetian school and Tiziano and the Padovanino prepared the cartoons for the sacristy, built in the late 1400s. Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c 1485 &ndash August 27 1576 better known as Titian, was the leading painter of the 16th-century Venetian Other remarkable mosaics decorate the Baptistery, the Mascoli Chapel, St Isidor Chapel and the Zen Chapel.

Music at St Mark’s

The spacious interior of the building with its multiple choir lofts was the inspiration for the development of a Venetian polychoral style among the composers appointed maestro di cappella at St Mark's. The Venetian polychoral style was a type of music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras which involved spatially separate Choirs singing in alternation Kapellmeister (kəˈpɛlˌmaɪstər is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making The style was first developed by a foreigner Adrian Willaert and was continued by Italian organists and composers: Andrea Gabrieli and his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi. Adrian Willaert (c 1490 &ndash 7 December 1562 was a Flemish Composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. Andrea Gabrieli (1532/1533? – August 30, 1585) was an Italian Composer and Organist of the late Renaissance. Giovanni Gabrieli (c 1554/1557 &ndash August 12 1612 was an Italian Composer and organist.

References

• Guida d’Italia del Touring Club Italiano – Venezia. 3° ed
• M. Da Villa Urbani. La Basilica di San Marco. 2001, Storti Edizioni, Venezia.
• S. Vianello (a cura di) Le chiese di Venezia. Electa, 1993

See also

• St Mark the Evangelist
• St Mark's Campanile
• Pala d'Oro

External links

• Cathedral of San Marco, Venice
• (Italian)San Marco Museum
• Satellite image from Google Maps
• Visit St Mark's Basilica at imageLinka