If you stand at the western most point in the square looking towards the Basilica (POI #1 -> #POI #10), the way you are facing approximates east.  Behind you is the Procuratie Nuovissime (newest Procuratie, aka the ‘Napoleonic Wing’).  During Napoleon’s administration of the city the church of San Geminiano was closed (in 1807) and then demolished to make way for this building.

To your left is the Procuratie Vecchie (POI #3; lower levels completed in 1499), and your right, Procuratie Nuovo (new).  These were the administration buildings of the city.  The Procuratie Vecchie houses numerous shops on the ground floor and offices in the upper floors.  Closed to the public for years, this building is now open for public access in certain spaces and at certain times (read more here).

The Procuratie Nuove (POI #19; building commenced 1586) was completed in 1640 by Baldassarre Longhena.  The complex of buildings extends from the Napoleonic Wing to the Campanile of San Marco.  Today it houses the Correr Museum, the Risorgimento Museum, and the Archaeological Museum which is on the upper floors (Visit Venezia, 2023).

Now might be a good time to visit the Correr Museum (in the Naploeonic Wing), which is a significant collection of cultural and artistic artefacts and works.  If you want to visit a museum/art gallery (this is both) that is less crowded than say, the Accademia then go in.  The Canova collection alone is worth the price of admission, yet there are dozens more rooms of wonderment in this building alone.

From where you are now, you could also proceed under the Procuratie Vecchie on the north-west corner of the Piazza to see Bacino Orseolo (POI #2).  The Bacino was created in 1869 to allow gondolas to get closer to Piazza San Marco.  It is something of a gondola ‘parking lot’.

Returning to the Piazza and turning left, you can’t avoid the orchestra playing in front of Caffe Quadri (POI #4) who at times seem to be duelling with their counterparts opposite at the Florian (POI #22).

Move on to the Torre dell’Orologio (POI #5).  The clock tower is another architectural gem of the Piazza.  Originally designed by Mauro Coducci and completed in 1499, additional floors were added later with the final building that you see not completed until 1755.  Pass under the arch for just a moment and look up to the left for the commemorative relief of Giustina Rossi.  She became famous after thwarting an attempted coup in 1310 by Bajamonte Tiepolo and his followers as they streamed through the Merceria by dropping a stone mortar from her window which landed on the head of the standard bearer of the coup as he passed by, killing him.

Returning to the Piazza and pushing around to the left of St Mark’s you will now be entering Piazzetta dei Leoni (POI #7).  Note the two cute red marble lions facing the main Piazza.  Moving on a few metres further is the church of San Basso dating from 1665 (now deconsecrated; POI #6).  At the end of the Piazzetta is the Palazzo Patriarcale (POI #8) the former headquarters of the Patriarchate of Venice – senior administrators of the city answering to the Doge.  In the corner on the right, in a niche on the wall of the Basilica is the tomb of Daniele Manin (POI #9), a patriot who led the resistance to the Austrian occupation of the city in the mid 1800’s.

You will need to return to the area near the flagpoles in the piazza to best appreciate the Basilica (POI #10).  Space prevents a detailed description here, so some recommended sources that take you through the details of the building are shown in the Further Reading list below, see also: Ulysses Travel, Wikipedia.

The four horses on the façade (aka the ‘quadriga’, POI #11) have a fascinating story.  They are thought to date from around the 2^nd or 3^rd century AD and were originally displayed on the Hippodrome in Constantinople.  Looted by the Venetians in 1204, they were in turn looted by Napoleon when he seized the city in 1797 and they were displayed on the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel until 1815 when they were returned.  Those you can see are copies, the originals are housed inside the Basilica (image here).

Moving to the right side of the Basilica, look for the four ‘Tetrarchs’ (POI #12), a portrait of four rulers of the Roman Empire, divided into east and west by Diocletian, with a junior (Caesar) and senior (Augustus) ruler for each division.  Like the quadriga, their origin is Constantinople, and they may have originally been displayed in the Philadelphion.  There is a missing corner at the base which is now on display in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum (further reading).

If you are looking at the Tetrarchs, cast your gaze up and to the right.  You will see an elaborate entrance that spans the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica.  This is the Porta della Carta (POI #13).  The kneeling figure is Doge Francesco Foscarini.  This ceremonial entrance was created by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon 1438-1442.  With your back to the Tetrarchs and looking up, you will see ‘The Judgement of Solomon’ by Bartolomeo Bon (POI #14; created 1430).  Continuing towards the lagoon and along the edge of the Piazetta San Marco, look out for the detail on the capitals of the columns of the Doge’s Palace that tell stories (POI #15).

Moving along you may observe the two pink marble columns on the first floor of the arcaded side of the Palazzo.  It is thought that this is where death sentences were announced by the Doge.  A scaffold was erected between the two columns on the lagoon side of the Piazzetta to carry out the sentences.  The granite columns are thought to have been brought from Greece and were erected in 1172-1178.  The statues represent the patron saints of the city: St Theodore and a bronze lion for St Mark (POI #16-17).

The western side of the Piazzetta is taken up with the Marciana Library (POI #18) which contains a precious collection of manuscripts and classical texts. It was established in 1468 but the building you see today was mostly the work of Jacopo Sansovino (commenced 1536 and completed in 1583-90 by Vincenzo Scamozzi after Sansovino’s death).

On your return journey to the main Piazza, you will encounter the Loggetta (POI #20) at the base of the bell tower of St Mark’s, an ornate construction designed by Sansovino and completed in 1549.

The bell tower of St Mark’s (POI #21) is a copy of the original which collapsed in 1902 (completed in 1912).  The replacement design was controversial, but the Venetians insisted that it be re-built ‘as it was, where it was’.

With the walk at an end, consider heading over to Florian (POI #22) for a refreshment!

Sources and Further Reading:

Churches of Venice, (2023). http://churchesofvenice.com/sanmarco.htm

Freely, J. (1994).  Strolling through Venice, Penguin Books, London (p.12-40)

Manno, A. Venchierutti, M. & Codato, P. (2004). The Treasures of Venice, Rizzoli, New York (p.55-96)

Images:

Lions in the Piazzetta dei Leoni: Wikimedia Commons – P. Perez

Manin’s Tomb: Wikimedia Commons – joergens.mi

The Judgment of Solomon: Wikimedia Commons – Dimitris Kamaris

Florian: Wikimedia Commons – Scholla Shwarz