Saint Mark's Basilica is a monument made unique by
both its wealth of history and the magnificence of its façade
and interior. In essence, it is a splendid workshop, where, through
the centuries, worked great Italian and European artists.
Its distinguishing Byzantine character appears particularly on
the great mosaics illustrating St. Marco's
tales, as well as the scenes of the
Old and New Testament.
Venice's greatness has always been
reflected in the Basilica's enrichment: during the centuries the
Venetians embellished it with precious objects and works of art
brought in from the most distant places, thus creating a grand,
compact monument. The mellow light falling from above seems to
divide the earthly world from the supernatural, which glitters
on the vaults in the golden mosaics.
The extent of artistic, iconographic and religious contents and
the variety of historical implications explaining the role the
Basilica played during the centuries are here introduced according
to an accurate division by subjects and by various levels of examination.
Nowadays unfortunately, due to the enormous quantity of visitors,
only a part of this universal jewel can be visited: this site
enables a thorough knowledge and of the artistic, iconographic
and religious contents, combined with the wealth and variety of
historical influence are exhaustively presented here, within a
range of searchable subject areas.
Understanding is enhanced with the use of graphics and animations.
The "Virtual Basilica" offers an
interactive 3D reproduction of the entire Basilica, thematic
tours, panoramic views and
photo galleries, to give a comprehensive
view of the positioning and subdivision of the mosaics, including
those in areas presently closed to visitors.
