St Mark's Square, Venice

Location

Venice, Veneto, Italy

Stories and legends

The remains of St Mark were brought back from Alexandria by Venetian merchants in 828 (the detail that they were hidden in a barrel of pork to slip past inspection is a much-retold anecdote).

History and context

The square took shape from the 9th century, when the first chapel of St Mark was built, and was enlarged to its present scale in the 12th century; the campanile stands 98.6 metres tall and was rebuilt exactly as it had been, in 1912 (after collapsing in 1902 — rebuilt "where it was, as it was"); the Doge's Palace is a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic from the 14th–15th centuries; the piazza is one of the lowest points in Venice and is the first to flood during the autumn–winter acqua alta ("high water"), when temporary walkways are laid and the city government runs a water-level forecasting system.

Local life

St Mark's has the air of a republic's state room: in republican times this was the stage for affairs of state, trials and festivals, and today Caffè Florian (opened in 1720, among Italy's oldest cafés) still has musicians playing beneath its arcade. Venetians treat the square as their own front door rather than a sight — the square at dawn, with delivery boats unloading and elderly residents strolling under the Procuratie arcade, is its true negative.

Customs

During Carnival (usually late January to February, subject to official announcements) masked crowds fill the square; in the flood season, tall rubber boots are standard kit for residents.

Beliefs

St Mark's Basilica is the cathedral of the Catholic Patriarchate of Venice, an active place of worship, with sightseeing and worship kept in separate zones.

Local etiquette

Sitting on the ground or picnicking in and around the square is strictly forbidden (municipal rules; fines apply), as is feeding the pigeons (banned since 2008); dress inside the basilica must cover shoulders and knees, and large bags must be checked before entering; never wade barefoot through floodwater (the water is dirty).

Visiting notes

Best in spring and autumn and early in the morning; book the basilica and the campanile ascent separately through official channels; avoid the cruise-ship peak (10:00–14:00); stay on the island itself to enjoy the empty square at dawn and dusk.

What to eat nearby

Squid-ink pasta (Spaghetti al nero di seppia); mixed fried seafood (Fritto misto); Venetian liver with onions (Fegato alla veneziana); cicchetti (bar snacks) in a bacaro with an ombra (local slang for "a small glass of wine"); tiramisu (said to originate in Treviso — a Veneto classic)

The bacari wine bars around the Rialto Market, and the canal-side places in Cannaregio

In a bacaro, eating and drinking standing up is the proper way, and cicchetti are priced per piece; after squid-ink pasta, do not wear white to anything important (blackened lips and teeth are normal, and they fade)

A sit-down meal €35–60 (approx. RMB 273–468, for reference only); bacaro snacks €15–25 per person (approx. RMB 117–195, for reference only)

Prices can differ by as much as 30% just two lanes away from the square; gondola fares are charged per boat at official rates (daytime, roughly the €90-per-30-minutes level; follow the posted municipal rates, for reference only) — confirm before you board.