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	Info
	Interior view 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Interior view 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Vaulting, nave and transept 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Vaulting, nave and transept 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	West (Pentecost) cupola 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Main apse (detail) c. 1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Clement Chapel mosaics (detail) c. 1150 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Crossing (Ascension) cupola 1175-1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Ascension cupola (detail) 1175-1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	East (choir) cupola 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North (John) cupola (detail) 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South (Leonard) cupola 1100-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	West (Pentecost) cupola 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Barrel vault (detail) 1100-50 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Barrel vault (detail) c. 1200 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South transept, west wall (detail) c. 1250 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North transept (detail) 12th century Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South side aisle (detail) 1215-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South side aisle (detail) 1215-20 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Right aisle, middle arm (detail) c. 1210 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South cupola, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North cupola, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North cupola, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South barrel vault, west narthex 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	South barrel vault, west narthex (detail) 1215-35 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	East cupola, north narthex 1262-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	East cupola, north narthex (detail) 1262-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex (detail) 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Second Joseph cupola, north narthex (detail) 1260-80 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Main portal 1080-1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Main portal (detail) 1080-1100 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Main portal (detail) c. 1250 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North portal, west façade (detail) 1270-75 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	North portal, west façade (detail) 1270-75 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Zen Chapel (detail) 1503-15 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	View of the Baptistery 1342-54 Mosaics Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Baptistery: Baptism of Christ c. 1350 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice
	Baptistery, vault (detail) c. 1350 Mosaic Basilica di San Marco, Venice