Venice - Italy - page 310

Once you're allowed inside, study the mosaics on the ceiling of the atrium to
the right of the entrance; you'll notice scenes from the Creation depicted in cir-
cles around the cupola. Beyond this is the Zen Chapel (Cappella Zen), where the
life of St. Mark is depicted in a series of 13th-century mosaics.
Just beyond the main entrance, on your immediate right as you enter the
atrium, look for the steep stairway marked Loggia dei Cavalli; note that you'll be
charged

3 when you get to the top. This fee is for admission to the Galleria della
Basilica, from which you can enjoy a quite enchanting bird's-eye view of the
Basilica's interior, and get a closer look at some of the ceiling mosaics; in more
prudish times these high-up, out-of-the-way vantage points would have served as
the women's gallery.
Adjoining the gallery is the Museo Marciano (10am-4pm), where the real
Quadriga bronze horses are kept. Although their origin is believed to pre-date
Byzantium, the statues were stolen from Constantinople's Hippodrome in 1204
when Venice took part in the Fourth Crusade, and brought to Venice by Doge
Enrico Dandolo. Also adjoining the gallery is the balcony above the entrance to
the church; from here you can look back across the piazza and experience the
crowds the way Venetian doges once did as they presided over important events
that took place in the piazza below.
Returning downstairs via the same narrow stairway, turn right to head into the
bosom of the Basilica, an enchanting, cavernous space lit by candles and deco-
rated to every last inch with mosaics,
frescoes, statuary, marble, and reli-
gious artifacts. Beneath you, the deco-
rative mosaic floor is warped with age,
spilling out as a dramatic tapestry of
patterns and scenes; meanwhile, far
above you, the domed ceiling glistens
with gold leaf, particularly when the
midday sun manages to penetrate
what few windows there are. Over the center of the church is the Ascension
Dome, decorated by a 13th-century mosaic of Christ in Glory.
Deeper into the church, toward the right, is the Tesoro ( Treasury; € 2), with
its small (though priceless) exhibition of the Basilica's most important treasures; a
difficult-to-follow, over-the-top audioguide is included in the admission. This is
also where the actual bones, teeth, and other relics of various doges and saints are
kept, causing some visitors to make references to Dan Brown, author of The Da
Vinci Code.
More worthwhile is a visit to the Sanctuary ( € 1.50), where the main altar is
believed to be built over the remains of St. Mark. Alabaster columns, carved with
New Testament scenes, support the green marble canopy (baldacchino) raised
high above the altar. But the main reason to visit the Sanctuary is to have access
to the fabulous 10th-century Pala D'Oro; perhaps the greatest treasure in the
Basilica, it's a spectacular screen featuring 255 panels painted on gold foil and
framed by silver gilt. The screen is further embellished with precious stones and
pearls, but is incomplete thanks to some petty theft by Napoleon.
Before leaving the Basilica—which you should visit more than once—take
time to meditate in the Capella della Madonna di Nicopeia, on the far left side
of the church. Here, the pews face the Altar of the Virgin with its valuable

€

“ Venice is like eating an entire

box of chocolate liqueurs in one
go.

”

—Truman Capote