Name: Michelle Tung Man KayeStudent ID: 0324175Module: Effective Public Communication [COM 30103]Session: Wednesday, 4p.m – 6p.mIntake: March 2015Individual assignment: Oral Presentation

Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark

Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco (Italian)

Architect: Domenico ContariniArchitectural style: Byzantine & Gothic architectureCompleted: mostly by 1092

SpecificationsDomes: 5Dome height (outer): 43m (141ft)

(inner): 28.15m (92.4ft)Domenico Contarini

▪ a cathedral located on St. Mark’s Square in the city of Venice, Italy

▪ famous for its uniqueness in terms of the design and the magnificent interior

▪ one of the most valuable treasures of history, art and faith in the world, the so-called ‘drawing room of Europe’

▪ an example of the Byzantine architecture

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

▪ was originally built in 828, from the same century dates the first St Mark’s Campanile (Bell Tower), in Italy

▪ In 976, was burned in a rebellion when the populace locked Pietro IV Candiano inside to kill him

▪ reopened in 1094, the church was re-styled in the eclectic gothic and arabesque style

Pietro IV Candiano

▪ it was first a Chapel, since the 11th century onwards, the Cathedral was known by the nickname “Church of Gold” or “Chiesad’ Oro” in Italian

▪ the entire Cathedral had both European and Italian artists working on it

▪ one of the reason why it displays the beauty and designs from both cultures

▪ the plan is a Greek Cross, and is surrounded by 5 domes▪ additions of sculpture, mosaics, and ceremonial objects have increased the

Church richness▪ the exterior brickwork was gradually covered with various marbles and carvings

STRUCTURE & LAYOUT

Exterior

▪ the exterior is divided into three registers - lower, upper, and domes.

▪ the lower consists of five arched portals - the center one slightly larger - surrounded by marble columns.

▪ large bronze doors lead into the narthex. 

The mosaics in the upper level arches depict stories from the life of Jesus; the one above the main portal is the gilded mosaic known as "The Last Judgment". 

Horses

The Tetratchy

▪ above the large central window is the Winged Lion (symbol of Venice)

▪ the statues at the top of the central portal depict Saint Mark and the angels.

InteriorAdorning the walls are the stories of the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, St. Clement, St. John the Evangelist, and of course - St. Mark. 

The atrium is decorated with mosaics that tell the story of the Bible.

marble pieces of different sizes and colors to create various geometric shapes

the "opus tessellatum" consists of joining small pieces of marble or glass to create floral or animal figures

Ascension cupola

(center)

Choir cupola(east)

St.John cupola(north)

St.Leonard cupola(south)

Pentecost cupola(west)

FRONT ELEVATION

CROSS-SECTION

SIDE ELEVATION

Chapel of St. Isidore

Baptistery

Chapel of St. Zino

MONUMENTS

▪ Horses of St. Mark, is a set of bronze statues of four horses

▪ four famous horses on the San Macro façade are also part of treasure coming from the Holy Land

▪ considered a perfect symbol for the great Venetian Republic in their declared expression of strength and freedom

▪ were placed on the balcony above the portal of the basilica in 1254

▪ were taken to Paris by Napoleon in 1797 but were returned back to Venice in 1815.

▪ because of increasing levels or air pollution, the horses were taken down and placed inside the Church in the 1980s and replaced with replicas

▪ shortly after the Fourth Crusade, Doge Enrico Dandolo sent the horses to Venice, where they were installed on the terrace of the faced of St. Marks Basilica

Napoléon Bonaparte

Doge Enrico Dandolo

▪ The tetrarchy, also known as “Rule of Four”▪ eastern and western halves each half with its

own Augusti (senior) and Caesars (junior) emperor

since the Middle Ages, it has been fixed to a corner of the façade of St. Marks Basilica

done in Late Antique Style, which uses a distinct squat, formless bodies and square heads

working together to establish peace and stability throughout the empire

▪ part of the missing foot of the figures was discovered in Istanbul (close to the Bodrum Mosque)

▪ left foot of the tetrarchy has been replaced in a completely different stone

Diocletian

The Emperor who created The Tetrachy

▪ It is kept in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum

▪ made of durable red porphyry, a rare stone, which represents the permanence of the Tetrarchs

ORNAMENTATION

▪ Pala d'Oro (Golden Pall), a panel of gold embedded with gems

▪ Napoleon stole some of the precious stones in 1797, but there are still plenty left, gleaming behind protective glass

Byzantine treasure of San Macro

Chalice

San Marco bowl

Byzantine style peacocks

Basilica di San Marco

MATERIALS

Stones (porphyry)

Porphyry, were linked to powerful empire and own divine symbolism of the Byzantine Empire.

▪ decorated with mosaics on gold ground and with many varieties of marble

▪ the interaction of the decoration with a dim, according to the time of day, creates a range of evocative and intense effects

Marble

▪ the magnificent marble floors are arranged in a geometric pattern with interspersed animal designs

▪ about 8,000m2 of gilded mosaics cover the walls and ceilings

OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

Campanile di San Macro (Bell Tower) form in 1514 current tower was reconstructed in 1912 after the

collapse of 1902 98.6 m (323ft) tall, in a corner of St. Mark’s Basilica

Piazzetta Dei Leoncini A city square, located on the north side

of San Macro known for its lion statuary

Museo Correr▪ is a museum in Venice▪ located in St. Mark’s Square▪ the Museo Correr covers both the art

and history of Venice

Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace) beautiful Gothic structure completed in the early 15th century portions of it were rebuilt after a fire in

1574

References1. http://www.timeout.com/venice/venice/venue/1%3A22445/basilica-di-san-marco2. http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=637#sthash.jQURmXBN.AYpQfGmY.dpbs3. http://www.wga.hu/html_m/zgothic/mosaics/6sanmarc/4. https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/index.php/St_Mark's_Basilica5. http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/st-marks-basilica-contraband-venice/6. http://famouswonders.com/st-marks-basilica-in-venice/7. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/venice-san-marco8. http://touritaly.org/tours/venice/venice03.htm9. https://europebetweeneastandwest.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/indivisible-enemies-the-portrait-of-th

e-four-tetrarchs-in-venice/

10. http://www.aviewoncities.com/venice/basilicadisanmarco.htm

THANK YOU