Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP SIGHT
BASILICA DI SAN MARCO
Creating Venice's architectural wonder took nearly 800 years and one saintly barrel
of lard. In AD 828, wily Venetian merchants allegedly smuggled St Mark's corpse out
of Egypt in a barrel of pork fat to avoid inspection by Muslim customs authorities.
Venice built a golden basilica around its stolen saint, whose bones were misplaced
twice during construction (oops).
