Piazza
San Marco: |
Piazza
San Marco is the only true square in Venice. St. Mark's Square
was called "the drawing room of the world" by Musset. It has
been the scene of some of the most important religious and
political activities as well as the center of Venetian social
life for almost a millennium. It was one of the most crowded
places we visited in Venice. There were even thousands of
birds in the square as well.
Piazza
San Marco has another claim to fame. Within the square was
the first coffee shop. In 1585, the Venetian ambassador to
Istanbul told the Senate that the Turkish were drinking a
hot black drink, made by a seed called Kahavè and that people
had difficulty in falling asleep after drinking this beverage.
This seed was brought back to Venice and in 1638 it was roasted,
ground and sold at an expensive price from a special café
shop which was located directly under the Procuratie. In a
short time the café shops opened in the entire city and by
the end of the next century there were 24 such café's in St.
Mark's Square alone. These café's soon became the favorite
place among intellectuals to meet and drink coffee. |
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The
first Coffee Shop in Venice (1585) |
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| Basilica
of St. Mark: |
| The Basilica of St. Mark, became the cathedral church of the city and seat of the Patriarch of Venice since 1807, when it took the place of the former cathedral of San Pietro di Castello. It is a living testimony of Christian faith, as it is still an active church. Before 1807, it was the private cathedral of the Doge. It is a very extravagant cathedral, because the medieval mosaics, depicting stories and episodes from the Old and New Testaments, are done in gold and glass. They are very beautiful, but it took hundreds of years to perfect, since both elements melt at different temperatures. |
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| Bell
Tower: |
| Inside the bell tower there are 5 large cast iron bells. Each bell has a name and a purpose; Marangona rang mornings and evenings at the beginning and end of the work day, Maleficio rang for capital executions, Nona rang at the 9th hour, Trottiera called magistrates to meetings in the Palazzo Ducale, and the bell of Pregadi called senators to the Palace. |
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| Roaming
Orchestra Music: |
| During
the evenings in Piazza San Marco, different small orchestras
located around the square play classical or jazz music.
Only one orchestra plays at a time and the people follow
the music. Hundreds of people will be standing listening
to the beautiful music, but when that set is over and
the next orchestra starts to play, all of those people
walk over to listen to that orchestra. It is a very neat
experience. Just be careful you don't sit down in the
outside cafes in front of each orchestra. One small bottle
of water can cost you $20. You pay for the music and the
seat more than you do the beverage. |
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