Saint Mark's Basilica(St Mark's Basilica, St. Mark's Church)

This church was built in the 10th century, making it quite old. The frescoes on the dome are stunning and well worth the 10 euro entrance fee. Of course, if you're not interested in painting, that's another story.

St. Mark's Basilica in Venice is famous for its Byzantine architectural style and golden mosaic murals. The golden mosaic murals, covering over 8,000 square meters, are an architectural wonder.

It is recommended to buy tickets in advance. There is a long queue for buying tickets on site. Those with tickets can enter directly from another entrance. If you only visit the church, you can come out in ten minutes. It is mainly the dome and murals. There is a museum on the second floor. The ticket is 7 euros.

Unique architectural style • Byzantine style: St. Mark's Basilica is based on the Byzantine style and has five large round roofs. The church is in the shape of a Greek cross and covered with five hemispherical domes, which is a typical Byzantine architectural feature. • Fusion of multiple styles: In the subsequent development, it has also integrated Gothic, Islamic, Renaissance and other styles. Gothic decorations such as pointed arches and Renaissance decorations such as railings make it a comprehensive art masterpiece that integrates various schools. Exquisite decorative art • Mosaic mosaics: There are more than 8,000 square meters of mosaics inside and outside the church, from floors, walls to ceilings. The themes include the preaching of the twelve apostles, the suffering of Christ, Christ and the prophets, and portraits of saints. The pictures are covered with a layer of glittering gold foil, making the whole church shrouded in golden light. • Marble mosaic floor: Following the design principles of Byzantine churches, the floor is inlaid with more than 2,099 square meters of marble, with exquisite geometric patterns and natural patterns such as animals and flowers, showing the superb craftsmanship of Venice. Precious historical relics • Horses of St. Mark: The four bronze horse replicas on the balcony above the main entrance are the famous "Horses of St. Mark", and the originals are kept in the Marcia Museum inside the cathedral. These four bronze horse statues from the ancient Roman period may have come from Greece as early as the spoils of the Fourth Crusade. • Statue of the Emperor: There is a statue of four emperors carved from purple porphyry in the southeast corner of the cathedral. It is a relic of the late ancient Rome, showing the four emperors who jointly ruled the Roman Empire. It was brought back from Constantinople and is a symbol of the glorious history of the Venetian Empire. • The Virgin of Nicopia: This is a Byzantine icon, estimated to have been created between the 6th and 7th centuries. It was originally enshrined in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. It was brought to Venice after the Fourth Crusade and is considered to have magical powers. It is the patron saint of the Republic of Venice. Important religious facilities • Golden Altar Screen: Above the main altar is the world-famous "Golden Altar Screen", made of pure gold and gems, inlaid with more than 1,300 gems and pearls, showing the image of Jesus Christ and the saints. It is a masterpiece of medieval goldsmithing. • Ascension Dome: Located in the center of the cathedral, it depicts the scene of Jesus Christ ascending to heaven forty days after his resurrection. It was completed by many outstanding Venetian craftsmen in the 13th century. The center of the dome is the image of Jesus ascending to heaven by angels.

Basilica di San Marco is one of the most famous churches in Venice, Italy, and a world-renowned architectural masterpiece. It is located in Piazza San Marco in Venice. It was built in 829 AD and the current building was completed in the 11th century. The church is famous for its rich Byzantine architectural style, gorgeous decoration, golden mosaic murals and treasures, and is known as the "Golden Church". 1. Architectural style: It combines Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance styles and is one of the masterpieces of Byzantine architecture in the Western world. 2. Decoration: The interior and exterior are decorated with a large number of golden mosaic murals depicting religious stories and the lives of saints. 3. Mosaics: The total area of ​​mosaics in Basilica di San Marco exceeds 8,000 square meters, showing the splendor of medieval art. 4. Four bronze horses: The four bronze horses on the top of the front of the church are precious works of art from the Roman era, known as the "St. Mark's Horses". Basilica di San Marco is not only the center of religious activities, but also carries the history and culture of Venice. It is an important pilgrimage site for tourists and believers.

There was confusion with the online instructions and an almost impossible to find address to redeem your voucher for your ticket...instructions stated you had to go to a different place first before the meeting spot when in fact both places were the same. We wasted a lot of time trying to find it and it turned out completely unnecessary.However, I would still recommend this tour. It was great to have access after hours. Such an incredible place to tour!

St. Mark's Basilica stands on St. Mark's Square in the center of Venice. It was built in 829 AD and has a history of more than a thousand years. It was once the largest church in medieval Europe and a classic work of Venetian architectural art. It is also a treasure house with rich collections of art. St. Mark's Basilica has five large round roofs in the Eastern Byzantine style, with more than 4,000 square meters of mosaics on 400 stone columns. Climbing to the top of the cathedral, I admired four large golden bronze horses up close, which is also one of the precious collections of St. Mark's Basilica. Thousands of tourists come from all over the world to visit this temple every day.

Every time I see a church I think it is the most amazing church I have seen in Europe, but every time the next one is better and St Mark's Basilica is no exception. It is a beautiful work of art! If you can, buy a VIP ticket to avoid the lines - we went on Easter weekend and the lines were very long.