Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This grand square is surrounded by splashy, historic buildings and sights: St. Mark's Ba-
silica, the Doge's Palace, the Campanile bell tower, and the Correr Museum. The square is
filled with music, lovers, pigeons, and tourists by day, and is your private rendezvous with
the Venetian past late at night, when Europe's most magnificent dance floor is
the
romantic
place to be.
With your back to the church, survey one of Europe's great urban spaces, and the only
square in Venice to merit the title “Piazza.” Nearly two football fields long, it's surrounded
by the offices of the republic. On the right are the “old offices” (16th-century Renaissance).
At left are the “new offices” (17th-century High Renaissance). Napoleon called the piazza
“themostbeautifuldrawingroominEurope,”andaddedtotheintimacybybuildingthefinal
wing, opposite the basilica, that encloses the square.
For a slow and pricey evening thrill, invest €12-20 (including the cover charge for the
music) for a drink at one of the elegant cafés with the dueling orchestras. For an unmatched
experience that offers the best people-watching, it's worth the small splurge.
The
ClockTower
(Torredell'Orologio),builtduringtheRenaissancein1496,marksthe
entry to the main shopping drag, called the Mercerie (or “Marzarie,” in Venetian dialect),
which connects St. Mark's Square with the Rialto Bridge. From the piazza, you can see the
bronze men (Moors) swing their huge clappers at the top of each hour. In the 17th century,
one of them knocked an unsuspecting worker off the top and to his death—probably the
first-ever killing by a robot. Notice one of the world's first “digital” clocks on the tower fa-
cing the square (with dramatic flips every five minutes). You can go inside the Clock Tower
with a pre-booked guided tour that takes you close to the clock's innards and out to a terrace
withgoodviewsoverthesquareandcityrooftops(€12.50combo-ticketincludesCorrerMu-
seum—where tour starts—but not Doge's Palace; tours in English Mon-Wed at 10:00 and
11:00, Thu-Sun at 14:00 and 15:00; no kids under age 6; reserve by calling 848-082-000,
booking online at
http://torreorologio.visitmuve.it
,
going in person at the Correr Museum a
dayinadvance,orevenjustshowingupattheCorrerpriortoascheduledtourtoseeifspace
is available).
You can download a free Rick Steves audio tour of St. Mark's Square (see
here
).
Built in the 11th century to replace an earlier church, this basilica's distinctly Eastern-style
architecture underlines Venice's connection with Byzantium (which protected it from the
ambition of Charlemagne and his Holy Roman Empire). It's decorated with booty from re-
turning sea captains—a kind of architectural Venetian trophy chest. The interior glows mys-
