At the heart of Venice, Italy, lies the religious temple of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese,
the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark. Its first construction began in the
9th century to house the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, which were smuggled out of
Alexandria, Egypt. Let’s take a look at Saint Mark’s Basilica’s cultural and historical
significance.
In 1063, Contarini redesigned the chapel, inspired by the Orthodox plan of the Church
of Holy Apostles, which was then adapted for Western Catholic rite ceremonies. Saint Mark’s
Basilica functioned as a Palatine church directly under the Doge, as a celebration space for
Venetians. In 1807, this church was transformed into the seat of the patriarch and city cathedral,
closing its thousand years of ducal history. Its beauty symbolizes the wealth and power
of Venice, uniting different languages of Byzantine art, Gothic and Renaissance, a fusion
seen nowhere else in Europe.
With its fusion of historical significance and architectural brilliance, it is one of
Italy’s finest tourist attractions. The basilica has 16 windows, which were purposefully
installed such that the entering light would create a levitating effect on the domes. Those
inside would observe this illusion as it transforms the solid domes into a massless floating object.
This is especially apparent in the central dome whose interior mosaic is a depiction
of the ascension of Christ.
The basilica has a symmetrical plan with vaulted domes. The five domes are erected at the intersection
and over the arms of the Greek cross. Above the cross are five cupolas, as a symbol of
God’s presence. Its domes are covered in a golden sheath of 8,000 square meters area
of mosaics earning the cathedral the title “Church of Gold”. The flooring which balances
the ceiling design is made up of inlaid marbles by setting pieces of colored marbles to create
geometrical and natural patterns, with tiny pieces of glass or marble creating intricate
animals and floral designs. The exterior of the west facade of Saint Mark’s Basilica
is split into three main segments, the lower segment, the upper segment, and the domes.
On the center arch, there is a winged lion, the symbol of St. Mark, also four bronze horse
sculptures can be seen facing the square which are only replicas of the originals.
Moreover, Saint Mark’s Basilica was officially a music school in 1403 and it became the center
of Venetian musical life and civilization. Willaert, Merulo, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli,
and Monteverdi had major roles in the chapel which led to the development of “broken
choirs” and echo sonata. The interior of the church had two choir lofts and two organs
facing each other which allowed for many composers to experiment with sounds and use new compositional
techniques such as antiphonal music.
For its opulent design, gold ground mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth
and power, it is a true jewel worth visiting. It achieves an oriental feeling of exoticism,
has all the elements of the Venetian style of the Renaissance Art, remains unique, and
essentially a product of Italian workers of all sorts.
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