The Basilica of Saint Mark...& Other Reflections

This winged lion with paw on open book is known as the icon for the Apostle Mark and is used extensively throughout the architecture in the area.  We were very impressed with San Marco Square & spent most of our time today between the 12th century Basilica, the Campanile (tower) & enjoying the ambiance of the square, as well as the window shopping.  There were lovely jazz bands playing grand piano, bass & more, & of course the cafes ooze with character, fantastic food & drink options & even history, as so many of them have been serving customers there for a hundred years or more!

After leaving the hotel, we wandered some more & came out into the immensity of the square.  My camera  (& perhaps this user who didn't have the time for the right angle!) doesn't have the capacity to help you really appreciate how large it truly is!

This is a side view of St. Mark's which gives a sense for its arches & porticos, but it doesn't allow you to see that every pillar is comprised of varying marbles, all different colors & shades of those colors, nor does it show the elaborate mosaics, and its intricate details beautifully, albeit painstakingly, created centuries ago & with the crudest of tools by our modern standards.  There is no part of the architecture of this church that wasn't held to the highest standard of excellence in its day & in the subsequent centuries of its ongoing restorations.

Somewhat distant glimpses of the outer mosaics are seen here; I need to upload another  that shows a better close-up.   We waited in line on raised wooden platforms, as there are consistent drainage & flooding issues for not only St. Marks, but much of the square in general depending on the time of year, rain cycles, etc.  All of Venice is gradually sinking of course, & it's only surprising that it didn't do so long ago.  All of it is supported by a framework of hundreds of thousands of wooden posts; yes, wooden!   It's a specific kind of tree from this area that when treated, long resists rotting.  In another post, I'll share a couple photos that show a repair process in motion; we passed it on our vaporetto trip into the city yesterday.

You can't tell from this shot, but we're on the second level of the outside terraza of St. Mark's.  The crowds parted for a moment, so it looks like we're there by ourselves, but Venice is bustling full of visitors from all over the world with every imaginable language tickling our ears.  It's fascinating how we can immediately hear American English in a crowd; there's the buzz of eclectic vocabularies with people's expressions & gestures & foreign dialects supporting all of it, and when we're walking through crowds it's swirling all around, and then all of a sudden we hear familiar sounds & the buzzing forms words, which are attached to ideas, & the facial expressions & gestures make sense & strangers smile at strangers with an unspoken knowing, because no matter what corner of America we're from, we're connected, simply because in that momentary exchange, no matter our politics, our creeds, or economic status, what we call home is the same, and I believe that has the power to trump the rest.

I didn't realize the above thoughts would come out there, so this is a bit of a forced transition!  The interior  of the basilica is not surprisingly, dimly lit, so none of my pictures are able to capture the brilliance of these golden mosaics. Every image you see on the walls & in the domes is mosaic; tiny, tiny pieces fitted together to create magnificence in the telling of God's story; the life & death & eternal life of Christ.  As a follower of Christ, being ushered through tourist ques, which is necessary because of the crowds, is also somewhat uncomfortable.  I can't help but think of a place of worship, a church, being turned into a museum as a tragedy.  I understand it on one level, but know I should never accept it on another.  Undoubtedly there will be more thoughts on this to come; Rome is in the days ahead.

The floors were exquisite & in gorgeous mosaic throughout.  No doubt they are part of the sinking problem as they must be incredibly heavy to support.

Chris & the boys climbed the tower - or were hoping to....turns out there was an elevator inside!  They went to the top for views  & pictures & bonding & all was enjoyed!!  Ashley & I used the time to wander & explore.  She's loving all the Carnavale shops with masquerade masks & costumes.  More on that later!

This is an aerial view of the Doge's Palace, & where we are headed this morning!!  Florence is our destination tonight, so I'm hopeful the wi-fi connections keep coming our way!!