St Mark's Basilica in Venice is one of the finest examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture in the world. In 828, Venetian merchants stole the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from their original resting place in Alexandria, Egypt. They were initially housed in a temporary chapel within the Doge's Palace, but a more substantial church was built to shelter the valuable relics in 829-32. The present basilica, which incorporates the earlier buildings, was completed around 1071. The interior is decorated with mosaics, dating mostly from the 12th century, that cover a total area of about 8,000 square meters on the vaults and cupolas. The mosaics depict events from the New Testament. The narthex, an architectural feature common to Byzantine churches, wraps around the west end of the basilica. It is also decorated with mosaics depicting stories from the Old Testament, dating mostly from the 13th century. The oldest mosaics, dating from the late 11th century, are on the are on the façade, on the main portal. Saint Mark's Basilica is a monument made unique by both its wealth of history and the magnificence of its façade and interior. In essence, it is a splendid workshop, where, through the centuries, worked great Italian and European artists. Its distinguishing Byzantine character appears particularly on the great mosaics illustrating St. Marco's tales, as well as the scenes of the Old and New Testament. Venice's greatness has always been reflected in the Basilica's enrichment: during the centuries the Venetians embellished it with precious objects and works of art brought in from the most distant places, thus creating a grand, compact monument. The mellow light falling from above seems to divide the earthly world from the supernatural, which glitters on the vaults in the golden mosaics. The extent of artistic, iconographic and religious contents and the variety of historical implications explaining the role the Basilica played during the centuries are here introduced according to an accurate division by subjects and by various levels of examination. The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark ( Italian Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco and commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, formerly at San Pietro di Castello. For its opulent design, gold ground mosaics, and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century on the building has been known by the nickname Chiesa d'Oro (Church of gold).

• published: 21 Mar 2014
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