How to visit the basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica is the most visited monument in Venice (with an estimated 3 million tourists per year) which, as a result, presents the problem of endless queues or constantly sold-out tickets.
Online booking is the best method to secure entry and skip the queue
Online tickets are 100% skip-the-lines, so you can enter at your designated time without having to wait an extra minute in line.
At the entrance you will see two separate lines: one reserved for online reservation (left) and the standard entrance (right), which will present a queue instead.
Online tickets on our website are sold exclusively by official St. Mark’s Basilica dealers.
Why book online ticket?
Because you’ll skip the long lines that, especially in high season, form in front of the Basilica.
If you wish, you can also participate in a guided tour where you will be accompanied by a qualified local guide who will tell you unique anecdotes and stories about the Basilica and the precious treasures it contains.
Brief history of St. Mark's Basilica
St. Mark’s Basilica, located in the famous St. Mark’s Square, is one of the most important and rappesentative churches of Byzantine art in Italy. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, the basilica was originally the chapel
private residence of the Doge of Venice, which later became the city’s shrine.
Also known as “the Golden Church,” St. Mark’s Basilica is an architectural masterpiece that combines different styles, such as Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic. The exterior is decorated with gold mosaics, precious stones and sculptures, making it one of the most monumental and opulent churches in the world.
Inside, the basilica features a wide nave flanked by a series of Byzantine-style arches and columns with gold mosaics depicting scenes from the Bible and the lives of the saints.
The dome, frescoed with images of the Last Supper, is supported by four Romanesque-style columns.
One of the most admired parts of the basilica are the four bronze horse statues, symbols of great power and nobility, that decorate the facade of the church. The horses were brought to Venice by the Venetians after sacking Constantinople in 1204 and still observe the entire city with their charm.
St. Mark’s Basilica is also famous for its treasures, an impressive collection of relics, including part of the cross of Christ and the Doge’s treasure. The treasure is located in a room adjacent to the basilica, where jewelry, gems, gold plates and other precious objects can be seen.
St. Mark’s Basilica has undergone countless restorations over the centuries, such as adding decorations and enlarging the facade. However, its beauty and majesty have remained unchanged and it is still a gathering place for visitors from all over the world.
In addition, the basilica is still the site of many religious celebrations and events for the city of Venice, such as Carnival and the Festa della Sensa. The church is open to the public every day of the year except for a few holidays. It is the most visited place in the city.
In essence, St. Mark’s Basilica is a treasure trove full of art and architecture, containing Byzantine and Venetian history. Its beauty and imposing presence make it a must-see destination for anyone visiting the lagoon city.
La Pala D'Oro
St. Mark’s Basilica houses the precious Golden Pall, a majestic Byzantine-style gold work produced in the 10th century. It is a wooden structure about 2 meters high and 3.30 meters wide, covered with silver plates and completely covered with gold leaf.
With 255 plaques and medallions, its creation required an exquisite artistic enameled decoration technique called cloisonné. The structure, placed on the Basilica’s high altar, is in the Gothic style, and numerous sacred images are depicted on it, with Christ surrounded by the Evangelists in the center, prophets, apostles, archangels on the sides, and the story of St. Mark in the frame.
Over time, the Pala D’Oro was increasingly enriched until it was completed in the 14th century, but the special feature that leaves everyone stunned is the extraordinary amount of pearls, enamels, and precious stones it contains, including garnets, sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, rubies, agates, topazes, carnelian, and jasper, totaling 1927 gems!
Precisely because of this peculiarity, one might be surprised that the Altar has come down to the present day without being stolen. In fact, tradition has it that Napoleon, being in its presence during the invasion, certainly was not insensitive to the majestic beauty and refinement of the work, but was misled as to its value by an all-Venetian language game that allowed it to be saved.
“Xe tutto vero!” (it’s just glass!) said the Venetians to the Emperor…without thinking too much about the fact that the Italian word ‘VERO’ in Venetian dialect also means ‘GLASS’…
Napoleon, fortunately, understood that the work was all glass (and therefore worthless) and left it in place, taking other valuable things back to France.
Thanks to this dialectal misunderstanding, the Golden Pall was saved, giving us the privilege of still being able to admire it in its beautiful ‘home’ of origin.