St. Mark’s Museum

St. Mark’s Museum was established at the end of the 19th century. Recently the Museum has re-opened with a new fitting out made possible by the extension of the Museum surface between the historic area on the Basilica’s vestibule and the former Doge’s Sala dei Banchetti (Banquet Hall).

It houses objects of various kinds and origins that belong to the church.
One of the most prestigious works is the quadriga of St. Mark’s, moved from its original position in the centre of the fa�ade after the last restoration.
In the Sala dei Banchetti there is the weekday altar-piece by Paolo Veneziano, a painting on wood dating to the mid 14th century illustrating stories from the life of St. Mark. It was used long ago to cover the pala d’oro.
The Museum also contains Persian carpets, liturgical vestments, illuminated manuscripts with the texts of St. Mark liturgies and fragments of ancient mosaics removed during restoration in the 19th century. Then there are tapestries in wool with episodes from the Passion of Christ and others in silk and silver illustrating stories of St. Mark.

On the occasion of the new fitting out, the official site of St. Mark’s Museum has been launched in order to illustrate its history, the works of art and the new spaces.