Vacation in Italy - Venice

San Marco is one of the sections of Venice, named after Basilica di San Marco and Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark's church and plaza/square) , I'm sure. It is by far the most crowded area of Venice. It is also nearest to where most of the shops are located. A couple of tour books said to not "dive in" to Venice by starting out in San Marco -- wise advice. The crowds would have been a turn-off. Still, visiting there is a necessity, but we avoided it during the daytime until we had been in Venice for a couple of days.

Lions are often associated with St. Mark, and many decorate the area. It is said that because St. Mark talked so loud that he roared like a lion -- that's the connection.

Click on any of these thumbnail images to see a larger version...

The difference in the crowds between night and day at St. Mark's is, well, night and day. I couldn't decide which picture I liked the best, so click on the animated one and see three. The building to the right is Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace)

This one pretty much confirms it too. Compare it to the one at the right!

On the side of St. Mark's, Kathy with one of the lions -- pigeons flying around overhead.

Another winged lion over the walkway that separates St. Marks from the Palazzo Ducale

Just a nice picure -- a child feeding pigeons in the square.

Atop San Marco, Kathy, with the Grand Canal in the backgound.

These two pillars are icons of San Marco.

Inside St. Mark's we weren't supposed to take pictures, but people did...without flash. This, if I remember correctly, is above the alter area.

Once inside, you then had to pay separately to get to see each of certain areas! This "golden alter" is one we paid for...and since we paid, I had to take a picture. ;-)

In the evenings, there were restaurants / cafes that had live music in the square. It was wonderful. You could sit at a table drinking wine and listening, or stay standing and move from place to place to hear the different performers -- what most people seemed to be doing.

Another picture of a different band.

Built roughly around 1094 AD with the more ornate decorations being added on a little later, this church is also the tomb of St. Mark.

The main entrance.

A view of the square from atop St. Mark's.

Kathy, on top of St. Mark's.

Me, on top of St. Mark's. The building to the left is Palazzo Ducale.

Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace -- where Venice's rulers lived) sits beside St. Mark's. It was started around 1314 and completed in 1422, with other additions/changes being made through the 16th century.

This is the Bridge of Sighs. It connects the Palazzo Ducale with the prison. It got its name from the sighs of condemned men being led from the palace to the prison.