Venice | St. Mark's Basilica 🏰✨

📖History The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, renowned for its gilded domes and mosaic decorations, is a blend of Byzantine and Gothic architecture. The construction of this architectural marvel in Venice took nearly 800 years and involved a barrel of sacred lard. In 828 AD, a group of cunning Venetian merchants smuggled the remains of Saint Mark out of Egypt in a barrel of lard, evading Muslim customs. Venice built a resplendent basilica for the stolen saint, but during construction, they twice forgot where they had placed Saint Mark's relics. 🤣🤣🤣 On the east side, there is an elevated apse with a crypt below. The apse is separated from the rest by a sanctuary screen composed of eight red marble columns, adorned with masterpieces of Gothic sculpture (late 14th century). At the far end of the basilica is the Golden Altar (Pala d'Oro), which is adorned with over 2,000 gems, including pearls, emeralds, and amethysts. 🎫Admission Entrance to the church: 5€ Access to the apse to see the Golden Altar: 3€ 🚩Tips The ticket line at the entrance moves quickly. Remember to go upstairs for a great view. There's an additional fee to see the jewels up close. Upon entering, one can't help but notice the layers of dust, haha. 🕵️‍♂️💨 #Italy #VeniceCityOfWater #StMarksBasilica #StMarksBasilicaAdmission #StMarkChurch #BuyTicketsOnSiteAtStMarksBasilica