HelloMondo / Italy / Venice / St. Mark’s Basilica
Discover the basilica and its treasures.
We suggest to plan a 4 days trip to Venice to enjoy St. Mark’s Basilica
The famous gothic main façade
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, commonly known as St Mark’s Basilica (in Italian: Basilica di San Marco) is the cathedral church of Venice, Italy. It is one of the best and rare examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It is dedicated to and holds the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron Saint of the city. Many of the columns, reliefs, and sculptures were spoils stripped from the churches, palaces, and public monuments of Constantinople as a result of the Venetian participation in the Fourth Crusade.
Admission to the basilica is free but certain areas of it require a ticket, such as the Saint Mark’s museum, Pala d’Oro, the Bell Tower, and the Treasury. Avoid weekends and religious holidays. During low season the waiting line is small and it is better to go from 11.30 to 12.30 when the gilded mosaics look most impressive. During high season instead try to avoid midday because it is the most crowded period of the day. During high season to visit at the opening or one hour before closing time is a good idea to try to avoid long queues. Between 90 minutes and two hours should be enough time to visit St. Mark’s Basilica.
St. Mark’s Basilica place of worship and like any other place of worship it requires an appropriate dress code: your shoulders must be covered and skirts and shorts should reach below the knee. Large backpacks and big items should also be left at Ateneo San Basso, across the Piazzetta dei Leoncini from the basilica, free of charge before entering. Visitors are asked not to speak loudly, and guides are required to use headsets and earphones to give tours. Visitors are not permitted to take photographs or film inside the basilica.
Compare best tickets and activities offered by:
Enjoy the complete Saint Mark's Basilica experience
As low as
€25.00
on Tiqets.com
See the most stunning views of the city from the tallest vantage point in Venice
As low as
€15.00
on Tiqets.com
Pick up last-minute tickets and visit the the stunning St. Mark's Basilica
As low as
€19.50
on Tiqets.com
Two-hour tour with a professional guide of Venice’s most important venues
As low as
€90.00
on Tiqets.com
Explore the iconic St. Mark's Basilica accompanied by a professional guide
As low as
€39.00
on Tiqets.com
Skip the long lines at Doge’s Palace and get stunning views of Venice from the terrace of St. Mark’s Basilica. Admire beautiful mosaics and impressive artworks alongside an expert guide.
As low as
€80
on GetYourGuide.com
Skip the long lines at the iconic Doge’s Palace and visit St. Mark’s Basilica. Admire beautiful mosaics and impressive artworks and learn the history of the dukes of Venice.
As low as
€74
on GetYourGuide.com
The construction of the Basilica, which initially was going to be a prolongation of the Palazzo Ducale, began in 828 to house Saint Mark’s relics which had been smuggled out of Alexandria. Although the current building is from the eleventh century, it has been renovated and modified throughout the centuries.
It became the city’s cathedral in 1807. It has over 4,000 square meters of mosaics, some from the thirteenth century, and 500 columns from the third century.
The present structure is the third church, begun probably in 1063 to express Venice’s growing civic consciousness and pride. The current Basilica is built in the shape of a Latin cross and has five domes.
The basilica is known in the world above all for its mosaics, clearly of Byzantine style. Inside the basilica the gold colour prevails and for this reason it is called the “Golden Church”. In the mosaics scenes from the Old and the New Testament are represented. The glass tiles of the mosaics are covered with gold leaf.
Useful information for your visit to St. Mark’s Basilica.
The church is located on the eastern end of Saint Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), the former political and religious centre of the Republic of Venice, and is attached to the Doge’s Palace. Prior to the fall of the republic in 1797, it was the chapel of the Doge and was subject to his jurisdiction, with the concurrence of the procurators of Saint Mark de supra for administrative and financial affairs.
To visit St Mark’s Basilica the times are as follows:
To reach St. Mark’s Basilica:
Water Buses: San Zaccaria or San Marco, lines 1, 2, 41, 42, 51, 52, N and LN.
