|
 In
Napoleon's words 'the finest drawing-room in Europe'.
The first port of call for any visitor to Venice. The
trapezoidal square focuses on the Basilica of St Mark's,
with its marvellous Byzantine domes and its filigree
of Gothic sculpture crowning the façade.
The rest of
the Piazza was built by the Renaissance architects Codussi,
Sansovino and Scamozzi to serve as a backdrop to the
Basilica. Incredibly, no-one was killed when the campanile
collapsed on 14 July 1902; the only damage was to Sansovino's
Loggetta beneath. It has recently been excellently restored
by Venice in Peril. If you want to enjoy the Piazza at
leisure, have a café in Florian's or Quadri's.
|
