St Mark's Basilica in Venice is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture in the world. In 828, Venetian merchants stole the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist from their original resting place in Alexandria, Egypt. They were initially housed in a temporary chapel within the Doge's Palace, but a more substantial church was built to shelter the valuable relics in 829-32. The present basilica, which incorporates the earlier buildings, was completed around 1071.

The interior is decorated with mosaics, dating mostly from the 12th century, that cover a total area of about 8,000 square meters on the vaults and cupolas. The mosaics depict events from the New Testament. The narthex, an architectural feature common to Byzantine churches, wraps around the west end of the basilica. It is also decorated with mosaics depicting stories from the Old Testament, dating mostly from the 13th century. The oldest mosaics, dating from the late 11th century, are on the are on the façade, on the main portal.

Preview	Picture Data	File Info	Comment
	Interior view 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1000*1216 True Color 199 Kb
	Interior view 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	950*1113 True Color 222 Kb
	Vaulting, nave and transept 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1435*850 True Color 269 Kb
	Vaulting, nave and transept 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	700*996 True Color 186 Kb
	West (Pentecost) cupola 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	800*958 True Color 168 Kb
	Main apse (detail) c. 1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1600*572 True Color 227 Kb
	Clement Chapel mosaics (detail) c. 1150 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1386*800 True Color 315 Kb
	Crossing (Ascension) cupola 1175-1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1008*1000 True Color 298 Kb
	Ascension cupola (detail) 1175-1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1250*768 True Color 310 Kb
	East (choir) cupola 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1017*1000 True Color 302 Kb
	North (John) cupola (detail) 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1100*802 True Color 263 Kb
	South (Leonard) cupola 1100-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1000*1029 True Color 233 Kb
	West (Pentecost) cupola 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1005*1000 True Color 289 Kb
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1100*882 True Color 318 Kb
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	668*1000 True Color 199 Kb
	Barrel vault (detail) 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1204*750 True Color 305 Kb
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1100*858 True Color 330 Kb
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1027 True Color 251 Kb
	South transept, west wall (detail) c. 1250 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1277*750 True Color 311 Kb
	North transept (detail) 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	799*934 True Color 146 Kb
	South side aisle (detail) 1215-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1359*700 True Color 199 Kb
	South side aisle (detail) 1215-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1205*800 True Color 331 Kb
	Right aisle, middle arm (detail) c. 1210 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	517*1300 True Color 156 Kb
	South cupola, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1073 True Color 312 Kb
	South cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	850*870 True Color 215 Kb
	South cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	848*1100 True Color 330 Kb
	North cupola, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	931*1050 True Color 301 Kb
	North cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1071 True Color 347 Kb
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1070 True Color 300 Kb
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	760*1000 True Color 194 Kb
	South barrel vault, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1492*600 True Color 232 Kb
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1083*700 True Color 201 Kb
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1010*650 True Color 174 Kb
	East cupola, north narthex 1262-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1080 True Color 323 Kb
	East cupola, north narthex (detail) 1262-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1100*900 True Color 339 Kb
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1103 True Color 306 Kb
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex (detail) 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	900*1016 True Color 307 Kb
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex (detail) 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1054*800 True Color 242 Kb
	Main portal 1080-1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1106*1100 True Color 220 Kb
	Main portal (detail) 1080-1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1400*579 True Color 164 Kb
	Main portal (detail) c. 1250 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1002*1000 True Color 299 Kb
	North portal, west façade (detail) 1270-75 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1200*710 True Color 293 Kb
	North portal, west façade (detail) 1270-75 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1208*800 True Color 207 Kb
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1299*700 True Color 243 Kb
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1075*900 True Color 316 Kb
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1296*700 True Color 229 Kb
	View of the Baptistery 1342-54 Mosaics Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1000*1201 True Color 226 Kb
	Baptistery: Baptism of Christ c. 1350 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1221*1000 True Color 231 Kb
	Baptistery, vault (detail) c. 1350 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice	1168*700 True Color 187 Kb