Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco is what many guidebooks, tourists, writers, and artists would describe as the heart of Venice. It is often thought of as the gem of the city. I have without a doubt been aware of the striking beauty within the massive square carved out near the basilica and Doge’s Palace, but this past week, I feel as though I truly got to know this place. I will never be able to walk through it in the same way that I have hundreds of times before.

This new introduction began on Monday as I peered out over the city from the top of the campanile. Before, this campanile was a giant tower. I later learned to appreciate the campanile’s representation of the power and grandeur of Venice. It stands taller then anything near it and is a prominent sight in the Piazza. As Yi-Fu Tuan says, “Architectural space reveals and instructs” (Architectural Space and Awareness, 114), and the campanile is no exception. It demands attention with its great height, its simple yet massive design, and its ringing bells which echo throughout the city. Having now visited the top, the campanile seems more approachable. It is no longer solely a powerful structure which cannot be met; it has now been given another element. It is an opportunity to view Venice in a different way. This tower placed me, the individual, in a state of power, by giving me the bird’s eye view of the city. As Michel de Certau analyzes, it was fulfilling because I was able to see the spaces which I so frequently carve out when I wonder the streets, shop, or take a vaporetto. I was able to see everything—Murano, the Lido, San Servolo, the Salute, etc. I could point out these places that I have studied and met personally. I was able to truly have a sense for the relationship I have formed with Venice as a city over the past weeks. I felt a sense of accomplishment within me as I named several places, applied the history I have studied, and knew details about certain portions of the city. Venice is a city which has been portrayed numerous times and through various myths, but I was able to gaze upon the city in its actuality instead of gazing out upon the idea of Venice.

Later in the week, on the American Thanksgiving holiday, I was surprised with the opportunity to climb inside of the clock tower opposite the campanile. I have used this clock in a practical sense to tell time and I have walked under it to head to the Rialto Bridge, but never could I have known all there was to know about this prominent object within the square. The guide shared about the procession of wise men, the different stages of development of the clock tower, the construction of the moors on the top, the family which used to live inside of it, and the mechanics of the clock itself. The clock was originally taken from Bologna after one of the Doges decided that they would like to have it. It then sat for nearly two years before it was placed where it is today, and since then, it has stood as a symbol of Venice. Similarly to the campanile, the clock tower is a sign of power. It was inconvenient to have, but the Doge demanded it. By learning the history behind it, I was made aware of the force used to not only obtain the clock, but to place it in the heart of the city. The Doge forced families to move out of their homes, and used his authority to gain the exact clock which he desired.

The thing I find most interesting, is the evolution of my relationship with Piazza San Marco. As I learn more about individual aspects of the Piazza, I find myself feeling closer to the square as a whole. I was introduced to this area on the very first day of October. Reflecting on that moment, I remember only being able to notice the basilica and the utter massiveness of the space. It seemed out of place in Venice, where everything else is narrow and filled with canals. It seemed overwhelming. I now spend my last weeks in Venice noticing just how truly representative of Venice this square is.

Of all of the elements we’ve discussed in class which can be connected to Venice –the power, the myth, the history, and the mixture of architectural features—Gothic, Byzantine, Renaissance, and Baroque, there is not one which cannot be seen in the Piazza. The square truly is the gem and essence of Venice. The campanile, the clock tower, the Doge's Palace, and the Basilica all express power in their own way.  Whether it is the power of the government, power of the church, or power of the city as a whole.  They each represent this concept through their architecture and history.  The myth of Venice as a preservation of the past and the history is clearly presented through the Byzantine style portrayed on the church and the many buildings and museums which fill the piazza.  It is also a magnificent and grand space filled with beauty, another common myth of Venice.  As far as architecture goes, it can all be seen—the gothic elements in the Doge's Palace, the Byzantine basilica and the Renaissance Marciana Library.  All of these elements are extremely significant to Venice.

Not only is the Piazza representative of Venice as a whole, my relationship with Piazza San Marco is representative of my relationship with Venice as well. Arriving at Ferrovia at the very beginning of October, I was beyond overwhelmed. I never thought I would be able to know the city or to know my way around. I now can confidently identify paths, nodes, and landmarks. I have discovered not only the physical aspects of the city, but the social aspects as well. There are many things I still have yet to uncover about Venice, and I will continue to progress in the next twelve days. Unfortunately, I will never be able to truly be a Venetian, because to accomplish that takes a lifetime.