-
Latest featured links
-
Latest links
-
Popular Links
Travel Directory | Details for planning your travelsArticle Details
Europe Must-See: The Piazza San Marco in Venice |
|
| Date Added: October 01, 2008 04:40:01 AM | |
| Author: Anonymous | |
| Category: Regional: Italy | |
There are many ordinary public squares in Europe but few compare to Piazza San Marco. An entire vacation could be spent in Venice absorbing all the wonderful sites the square has to offer. The Basilica di San Marco is only one of a dozen fascinating things to see. Many visitors are attracted to the site just for the opportunity to stand in the ancient square. They flock from all over just to see the sights of the Basilica, the Campanile, the Doge's Palace and more. What's more, there is no traffic or noise to bother them; unlike many other public squares in Europe. The piazza started as a mere open space outside the now-replaced church some time in the 9th century. It was enlarged and reshaped into its now three-sided area by the latter half of the 12th century. It then rapidly became the place where the rich, poor, grand and humble alike met and mingled. The square housed all of the very important offices of the Republic and it was also where all the major festivals were held. Doge's Palace is one of the more delightful sights to be seen. The palace, called the Palazzo Ducale di Venzia, was the palace of the Doge of Venice, as the name suggests. The Doge was the leader of the government. The palace was constructed in the 14th century and it incorporated many innovative features. Some of these include a series of arches on the bottom story, along with heavier sections above it. It's now a museum where there are paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and other famous artists of that time. The Bridge of Sighs is not very far away from the square. The bridge led to a prison from the 1600 era, but it gained its current name from the poet Lord Byron in the 19th century. The name comes from the thought that prisoners would sigh at the breathtaking sight of Venice before seeing it for the last time as they entered the Doge's prison. As the legend goes, two lovers who kiss in a gondola under the bridge as the sun sets will experience eternal love. The Campanile is another sight that's a must see in the square. This is the bell tower of St. Mark's. The current Campanile di San Marco was finished in 1912. It was designed as a replica of a structure that stood earlier but collapsed ten years prior. That structure had stood for almost 500 years. The structure acted as both a bell tower for the cathedral as well as a military watchtower from the 10th century. The bell tower alone makes a visit to the square worth your while. You'll love how the roof catches the Venice summer sun and cascades it across the entire square. The Moors' Clock Tower, or the Torre dell'Orologio, is another fantastic sight in Piazza San Marco. The construction on the tower was completed in the year 1499. However, it does much more than tell time for the local citizens. The clock tower adds immensely to the beauty of the square. It has five bays and two grand bronze figures and remains one of Venice's most glorious public works. The clock also contains a series of dials that tell the time, the zodiac sign as well as the places of the sun and the moon. With so much to see in this part of Venice, visitors can be thankful for the Cafe Florian which sits nearby. It's been serving visitors and locals alike since around 1720. The coffee they serve will give you all the energy you need to see all that St. Mark's has to offer. If exploring St Marks is high on your list of holiday options when in Italy, be aware that Venice accommodation is normally quite expensive due to the cost overheads of the hotels having to have everything delivered and removed from the hotel, over water. These days, Venice apartments taken as rentals are much more attractive for visitors, as they're cheaper and located right in with the Venetian population themselves. You get to live like a Venetian, rather than hidden behind an expensive hotel wall. |
|
|
|
|
-
Travel Resources
-
Statistics
- Active Links: 2580
- Pending Links: 7
- Todays Links: 6
- Active Articles: 2285
- Pending Articles: 40
- Todays Articles: 0
- Total Categories: 58
- Sub Categories: 188
-
Travel Tube NewsLoading...