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Venice - Piazza San Marco by Michael Kemper

13

Venedig - Markusplatz

seen from Canal Grande

gesehen vom Canal Grande

Piazza San Marco (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjattsa san ˈmarko]; Venetian: Piasa San Marco), often known in English as St Mark's Square, is the principal public square of Venice, Italy, where it is generally known just as la Piazza ("the Square"). Almost all the other urban spaces in the city (except the Piazzetta and the Piazzale Roma) are called campi ("fields"). The Piazzetta ("little Piazza/Square") is an extension of the Piazza towards San Marco basin in its southeast corner (see plan). The two spaces together form the social, religious and political centre of Venice and are referred to together. This article relates to both of them.

A remark usually attributed (though without proof) to Napoleon calls the Piazza San Marco "the drawing room of Europe".

Description

The square is dominated at its eastern end by St Mark's Basilica. It is described here by a perambulation starting from the west front of the church (facing the length of the piazza) and proceeding to the right.

St Mark's Basilica has a western façade with great arches and marble decoration, Romanesque carvings around the central doorway, and four horses which preside over the whole piazza. The four horses are potent symbols of pride and power in Venice. In 1379, the Genoese said there could be no peace between the two cities until these horses had been bridled.[3] Four hundred years later, Napoleon, after he had conquered Venice, had them taken down and shipped to Paris.

The Piazzetta dei Leoncini is an open space on the north side of the church named after the two marble lions (presented by Doge Alvise Mocenigo in 1722), but now officially called the Piazzetta San Giovanni XXIII. The neo-classic building on the east side adjoining the Basilica is the Palazzo Patriarcale, the seat of the Patriarch of Venice.

Beyond that is St Mark's Clocktower (Torre dell'Orologio), completed in 1499, above a high archway where the street known as the Merceria (a main thoroughfare of the city) leads through shopping streets to the Rialto, the commercial and financial centre. To the right of the clock-tower is the closed church of San Basso, designed by Baldassarre Longhena (1675), sometimes open for exhibitions.

To the left is the long arcade along the north side of the piazza, the buildings on this side are known as the Procuratie Vecchie, the old procuracies, formerly the homes and offices of the Procurators of St Mark, high officers of state in the days of the republic of Venice. They were built in the early 16th century. The arcade is lined with shops and restaurants at ground level, with offices above. The restaurants include the famous Caffè Quadri, which was patronized by the Austrians when Venice was ruled by Austria in the 19th century, while the Venetians preferred Florian's on the other side of the piazza.

Turning left at the end, the arcade continues along the west end of the piazza, which was rebuilt by Napoleon about 1810 and is known as the Ala Napoleonica (Napoleonic Wing). It holds, behind the shops, a ceremonial staircase which was to have led to a royal palace but now forms the entrance to the Museo Correr (Correr Museum).

Turning left again, the arcade continues down the south side of the Piazza. The buildings on this side are known as the Procuratie Nuove (new procuracies), which were designed by Jacopo Sansovino in the mid-16th century but partly built (1582–86) after his death by Vincenzo Scamozzi apparently with alterations required by the procurators and finally completed by Baldassarre Longhena about 1640.[6] Again, the ground floor has shops and also the Caffè Florian, a famous cafe opened in 1720 by Floriano Francesconi, which was patronised by the Venetians when the hated Austrians were at Quadri's. The upper floors were intended by Napoleon to be a palace for his stepson Eugène de Beauharnais, his viceroy in Venice, and now houses the Museo Correr. At the far end the Procuratie meet the north end of Sansovino's Libreria (mid-16th century), whose main front faces the piazzetta and is described there. The arcade continues round the corner into the Piazzetta.

Opposite to this, standing free in the piazza, is St Mark's Campanile (1156–73 last restored in 1514), rebuilt in 1912 com'era, dov'era ("as it was, where it was") after the collapse of the former campanile on 14 July 1902. Adjacent to the campanile, facing towards the church, is the small building known as the Loggetta del Sansovino, built by Sansovino in 1537–46 and used as a lobby by patricians waiting to go into a meeting of the Great Council in the Doge's Palace and by guards when the council was sitting.

Across the piazza in front of the church are three large mast-like flagpoles with bronze bases decorated in high relief by Alessandro Leopardi in 1505. The Venetian flag of St Mark used to fly from them in the time of the republic of Venice and now shares them with the Italian flag.

Description of the Piazzetta

The Piazzetta di San Marco is, strictly speaking, not part of the Piazza but an adjoining open space connecting the south side of the Piazza to the waterway of the lagoon. The Piazzetta lies between the Doge's Palace on the east and Jacopo Sansovino's Biblioteca (Library) which holds the Biblioteca Marciana on the west.

At the corner near the campanile, this (west) side is occupied entirely by the Biblioteca (Library) designed by Jacopo Sansovino to hold the Biblioteca Marciana (library of St Mark). Building started in 1537 and it was extended, after the death of Sansovino, by Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1588–91. The building was said by Palladio to be "the most magnificent and ornate structure built since ancient times". The arcade continues to the end of the building with cafés and shops and also the entrances to the Archaeological Museum, the Biblioteca Marciana and the National Library, which occupy the floors above.

At the end of this building is the Molo (the quay fronting the lagoon) and the adjoining building to the right is the Zecca (mint) also by Sansovino (completed 1547) and now part of the Biblioteca Marciana. Turning to the left at the end of the Biblioteca one crosses the open end of the Piazzetta marked by two large granite columns carrying symbols of the two patron saints of Venice. The first is Saint Theodore, who was the patron of the city before St Mark, holding a spear and with a crocodile to represent the dragon which he was said to have slain. This is made up of parts of antique statues and is a copy (the original is kept in the Doge's Palace). The second (eastern) column has a creature representing a winged lion — the Lion of Venice — which is the symbol of St Mark. This has a long history, probably starting as a winged lion-griffin on a monument to the god Sandon at Tarsus in Cilicia (Southern Turkey) about 300 BC. The columns are now thought to have been erected about 1268, when the water was closer and they would have been on the edge of the lagoon, framing the entry to the city from the sea. Gambling was permitted in the space between the columns and this right was said to have been granted as a reward to the man who first raised the columns. Public executions also took place between the columns.

On the far side of the Piazzetta is the side wall of the Doge's Palace with Gothic arcades at ground level and a loggia on the floor above. Up to the seventh pillar from the front this is the building as rebuilt in 1340, while the extension towards the Basilica was added in 1424. The capitals of the columns of the extended part are mostly copies of those in the front of the Palace. The seventh pillar is marked by a tondo (circular sculpture) of Venice as Justice above the first floor loggia. To the left of this, there are two red pillars in front of the first-floor loggia, contrasting with the other pillars which are of white Istrian stone. The red pillars are made of red Verona marble. They may have framed the Doge's chair on ceremonial occasions, but it seems that important malefactors found guilty of crimes against the state would sometimes be executed there.

On the rear corner of the Doge's Palace is a sculpture of the Judgment of Solomon with the archangel Gabriel above. The sculptors are not known. Set back from this corner is the Porta della Carta, the ceremonial entrance to the palace, built in fine Gothic style in 1438–43, probably by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon. Again, there is at the top a figure of Venice as Justice, the theme of fair judgment and justice being much emphasised on this side of the palace. Below this, the head of Doge Francisco Foscari and the lion before which he is kneeling were replaced in 1885, the originals having been destroyed on French orders in 1797. The statues on either side of the gateway represent the cardinal virtues of Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Charity.

Next to this, on an outside corner of the basilica of St Mark, are four antique figures carved in porphyry, a very hard red granite. They are usually known as the Tetrarchs and said to represent the four joint rulers of the Roman Empire appointed by Diocletian and were formerly thought to be Egyptian. It is now thought probable (or, at least very possible) that they represent the sons of the Emperor Constantine, praised for their loving co-operation on his death in 337, especially as the work originally stood in the Philadelphion (Place of Brotherly Love) in Constantinople, where the missing foot of one of the figures has been found.

Beyond this, in front of the South wall of the Basilica are two rectangular pillars always known as the Pillars of Acre. They were thought to be booty taken by the Venetians from Acre after their great victory over the Genoese there in 1258, but this traditional story has also had to be revised. The pillars actually came from the church of St Polyeuktos in Constantinople (524-7), and were probably taken by the Venetians soon after the fourth crusade in 1204. The ruins of this church were discovered in 1960 and it was excavated in the 1990s, when capitals were found, which matched the pillars.

Beyond these pillars, opposite the corner of the Basilica, is a great circular stone of red porphyry known as the Pietra del Bando (Proclamation Stone) from which official proclamations used to be read. It has been suggested that this may have formed part of a column on which the so-called Tetrarchs stood.

Across the water (the Bacino di San Marco) at the end of the Piazzetta can be seen the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the brilliant white façade of Palladio's church there.

History

The history of the Piazza San Marco can be conveniently covered in four periods, but the only pre-renaissance buildings and monuments still standing there are St Mark's, the Doge's Palace and the two great columns in the Piazzetta.

Beginnings (800–1100)

The first patron saint of Venice was St Theodore, a Greek warrior saint, and the first chapel of the Doge was dedicated to him. It was probably built about 819 and stood near the site of the present church of St Mark. In 828–829 relics of St Mark were stolen from Alexandria and brought to Venice, and in time the Venetians and the Doge adopted the apostle as their new patron. He was the missionary-apostle who was said to have converted their district; the relics of an apostle would increase the importance of the city and their acquisition was a further step in the gradual process of freeing Venice from the domination of Byzantium. The relics were temporarily placed in the palace (or castle) of the Doge, Justinian Partecipacius, who provided in his will for a new church to be built. This first church of St Mark was begun on the south side of the existing chapel; by 836 construction was sufficiently advanced for the relics to be moved there. The design of the church was based on the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Constantinople and it seems to have covered the same area as the central part of the present church. A campanile was first built in the time of Doge Pietro Tribuno (888–91).

At that time there was probably an empty space covered with grass in front of the new church, but it cannot have extended more than about 60 metres to the west, where there was a stream (the Rio Baratario) bisecting the area now occupied by the Piazza. On the other side of this stream was a small church dedicated to San Geminiano. The Doge's palace, in the same area as its modern successor, was at that time surrounded by water. The lagoon was to the south, the Rio di Palazzo (the canal beneath the Bridge of Sighs) to the east, and another stream to the north between the palace and the church. There was an inlet from the lagoon occupying much of the space now covered by the Piazzetta and this seems to have been used as a dock for the city.

In 976 there was a rebellion against the Doge and the church was set on fire. The wooden parts, including the roof and wooden dome, were probably lost, but the church was not completely destroyed and it seems to have been rebuilt much as before. In 1063 a complete rebuilding commenced. The new church was finished in the time of Doge Vitale Falier (1084–96), and in its main structure this is the present church, though the west front facing the Piazza was then in the Romanesque style with undecorated brickwork (like the exterior of the apse today). It had five domes, but their exterior profile was low, unlike the present high, onion-shaped structures.

Medieval piazza (1100–1490)

Great changes to the area came when Sebastiano Ziani was Doge (1172–78). Venice was growing in importance and the Doge was a very wealthy man. He initiated the changes which created the piazza as we know it. The Rio Baratario was filled in and the church of San Geminiano on the far side was demolished and rebuilt much farther back at the western end of what became the Piazza. An orchard which occupied part of the area was acquired from the convent of San Zaccharia and the Doge bought up a number of buildings which obstructed the site. By his will he left these buildings to the state and in due course they were demolished to clear the area. The rebuilding of the 9th-century Doge's palace also commenced in his time as Doge. The precise date of the various new buildings is not known and much must have been done in the time of his son, Pietro Ziani, who was Doge from 1205 to 1229.

The area of the piazza was now defined by the erection of buildings on the north and south sides. On the north side were the procuratie, residences and offices for the procurators of St Mark. The original procuratie were a range of two-storey buildings with a continuous arcade of stilted (i.e. tall and narrow) Byzantine arches below and a single storey above, with two windows above each arch. The ground floor rooms were let out for shops to provide an income. These buildings remained in place for about 300 years and we can see exactly how they looked in 1496 in Gentile Bellini's painting of a procession in the piazza. This painting also shows the buildings on the opposite (south) side of the Piazza, of which the most important was the Ospizio Orseolo, an inn or hostel for pilgrims going to the Holy Land. It can be seen that the piazza was then considerably narrower than it is today, because these buildings abutted directly against the west wall of the campanile.

In 1204, Constantinople was captured in the course of the 4th Crusade and, both at that time and later during the 13th century, much valuable material was taken from the city and shipped back for the adornment of Venice. This included marbles and pillars for the façade of St Mark's, the two square pillars in the piazzetta known (wrongly) as the Pillars of Acre and probably also the Pietra del Bando (near the south west corner of St Mark's) and the four porphyry figures known as the Tetrarchs, which were eventually installed near the entrance to the Doge's Palace from the piazzetta.

The two great granite columns in the Piazzetta are usually said to have been erected about 1170, but it is now thought more probable that this was done in the time of Doge Ranieri Zeno (1253–68) about 1268; the bases and capitals are 13th-century. Their origin is unknown, but Chios is suggested as possible. The lion is first mentioned in a decree of the Great Council in 1293, and the wording makes it clear that it was already on the pillar at that date. A statue of St Theodore (but not the present statue) was in place by 1329.

It was also at this time, in the later 13th century, that St Mark's was being given its new west façade embellished with marble and mosaics and trophies from Constantinople, including the four horses.

The original 9th-century Doge's palace was soon found too small for the number of patricians sitting on the Great Council after the right to do so was made hereditary in 1297, and rebuilding started in 1340. Work was held up by the Black Death in 1348 but the first stage was completed by 1365. This comprised the front part of the palace facing the lagoon, but in the Piazzetta the new building only extended to the seventh pillar back from the front corner, now marked by a circular relief of Venice as Justice on the outside of the first-floor arcade. Further back, part of the old palace, known as the Palace of Justice, remained, much as it had stood for about 200 years.

Because of the great expense involved, nothing more was done for many years, but in 1422 the Doge Tomaso Mocenigo insisted that for the honour of the city the remaining part of the old palace should be demolished and the new part extended. It was resolved that the existing façade should be continued in the same style, and work started in 1424 under the new Doge Francesco Foscari. The extended façade had reached the corner by 1438 and the point where the 15th-century part joins the 14th-century part can only be recognised by the circular relief of Justice above the seventh pillar from the front corner and the fact that that pillar is larger than the others, having held up the corner of the building for 80 years. The capitals on this façade are, for the most part, copies of the existing capitals on the front façade. The last pillar, at the north-western corner of the building, is a very large column and, continuing the theme of Justice, bears a large relief carving of the Judgment of Solomon, with the archangel Gabriel above it. The sculptor is not known, although various suggestions have been made including Bartolomeo Buon from Venice and Jacopo della Quercia from Siena and several art historians think that the sculpture of the Judgment of Solomon (which must have been made in the period 1424/38) shows influence from Tuscany. Eduardo Arslan, after reviewing all the theories in 1971, concluded that this sculpture "remains for us a great mystery".

In 1438 a contract was made with Giovanni and Bartolomeo Buon for the construction of a great ceremonial doorway into the palace. This was the Porta della Carta and connected the newly constructed wing of the palace with the south wall of St Mark's. Giovanni was nearing the end of his life and the gateway is mainly the work of Bartolomeo. It was completed by 1442 and included a sculpture of the Doge Francesco Foscari kneeling before the lion of St Mark. The statues of the cardinal virtues on either side were by another hand. Originally the whole gateway was painted and gilded.[35] This is just visible in the right background of Gentile Bellini's painting of 1496, which shows the piazza in its state at this time, still narrow and with the old 13th-century buildings on either side.[citation needed]

From the Renaissance to the fall of the Republic (1490–1797)

In 1493 an astronomical clock was commissioned by Venice and it was decided to install it in a new clocktower in the Piazza with a high archway beneath it leading into the street known as the Merceria, which leads to the Rialto. The building, which was probably designed by Codussi, was started in 1496, a section of the original Procuratie being demolished for the purpose. The building was completed with the clock installed by February 1499. It can be seen, flanked by the original Procuratie building, in de Barbari's woodcut of Venice in 1500. The Procuratie then were only two storeys high and the tower stood higher above them than it does today.

Buildings on either side to support the tower were added by 1506 and in 1512, when there was a fire in the old Procuratie, it became obvious that the whole range would have to be rebuilt.

Despite the fact that Venice was then at war with much of Europe (War of the League of Cambrai) the whole of the south side of the Piazza was rebuilt, starting in 1517. The new buildings, known today as the Procuratie Vecchie, were three storeys high instead of two. Like the previous Procuratie they had an arcade on the ground level with two windows above each arch, but without the high Byzantine arches and with classical details.

In 1527 Jacopo Sansovino came to Venice, fleeing from the sack of Rome, and by 1529 he had been appointed as Proto (consultant architect and buildings manager) to the Procurators of St. Mark. The Procurators wished to rebuild the old buildings on the south side of the Piazza, but Sansovino persuaded them that the opportunity should be taken to enlarge the Piazza and that these buildings should be demolished and the building line moved back clear of the campanile. He also convinced them that the old hostelries and shops on the west side of the Piazzetta opposite the Doge's Palace should be replaced by a new building worthy of the site. It was decided that the library of books and manuscripts, which had been bequeathed to the city by Cardinal Bessarion but had still not found a permanent home, should be housed there and Sansovino originally intended that the façade of this building (the Libreria) should eventually be continued along the south side of the Piazza and round the south-west corner as far as the church of San Geminiano in the middle of the west side. These changes also made it necessary to rebuild the Loggetta and at the same time the government of Venice had commissioned Sansovino to rebuild the mint (the Zecca) on the west side of the Libreria. All these works were proceeding together for many years after 1537. The new Loggetta was complete by 1545 and the Zecca by 1547 (though a third storey was added by 1566), but work on the Libreria was held up by the difficulty of finding new premises for the businesses which were displaced as well as by shortage of funds and only sixteen bays (out of twenty-one) had been finished before the death of Sansovino in 1570. By that date it had not yet been possible to start on the rebuilding of the south side of the Piazza beyond the Libreria.

Sansovino also completed the rebuilding of the old church of San Geminiano at the west end of the Piazza, facing St Mark's. Much of the work had been done before he took it over in 1557, but he was responsible for the façade in white Istrian stone. He also continued the range of Procuratie Vecchie on the north side of the Piazza round the corner as far as this church.

After the death of Sansovino funds were at last made available to start the rebuilding of the south side of the Piazza in its new position well clear of the campanile. His idea of a two-storey building continuing the façade of the Libreria had to be abandoned, as the Procurators required three storeys. However Vincenzo Scamozzi based the design on the façade of the Libreria and completed ten bays between 1582 and 1586, The Procuratie Nuove (New Procuracies), as they are called, were not completed until 1640, when the remaining bays on the south side were completed and continued round the corner to the church of San Geminiano by Baldassarre Longhena.

Napoleon and later (1797 onwards)

Venice surrendered to Napoleon on 12 May 1797. By 4 June a "Tree of Liberty" had been placed in the Piazza. Soon afterwards stonemasons were sent out on the orders of the Municipality to destroy images of the winged lion, which was seen as a symbol of Venetian independence and aristocratic rule. On the Porta della Carta in the Piazzetta the head of Doge Francesco Foscari was removed as well as that of the lion before which he was kneeling. (They were replaced by copies later in the century). The French ordered the four horses of San Marco to be taken down and sent to Paris together with the bronze lion on the column in the Piazzetta. They were removed in December 1797.

In January 1798 under the Treaty of Campoformio the Austrians moved into Venice in place of the French. This first Austrian ascendancy lasted from 1798 to 19 January 1806, when the French moved back after Napoleon's victories at Austerlitz and Jena and his establishment of the kingdom of Italy in 1804. Napoleon appointed his stepson Eugène de Beauharnais as his viceroy and in 1807 it was ordered that the Procuratie Nuove were to become the royal palace for his occupation. Napoleon himself paid a ceremonial visit to Venice later in 1807, landing at the Piazzetta on his way to the new palace.

It was decided that the new palace should extend across the whole of the west end of the Piazza and this made it necessary to demolish the church of San Geminiano, rebuilt by Sansovino, and also the buildings on either side, Sansovino's extension of the Procuratie Vecchie to the north and part of the Procuratie Nuove to the south. The original architect was Gianni Antolini from Milan, but the new building caused much controversy and in 1810 he was replaced by Giovanni Soli from Modena. The present building, known as the Ala Napoleonica (the Napoleonic Wing) was built between 1810 and 1813. The façade of the two lower storeys is in the manner of the Procuratie Nuove, but the upper storey, containing the ceremonial entrance and the ballroom, has no windows or arches and is decorated with statues and sculpture in low relief. In the centre there was originally to have been a statue of Napoleon as Jupiter with the imperial arms above, but this was abandoned after the fall of Napoleon in 1814 and there is now no focal point on the west side of the Piazza.

After the abdication of Napoleon the Austrians re-occupied Venice (under the Treaty of Fontainebleau) in April 1814. The Austrian chancellor, Prince Metternich, was instrumental in arranging the return to Venice of the four horses of St Mark and the lion from the Piazzetta. The horses were re-installed in front of the Basilica on 13 December 1815, but the bronze lion had been badly broken and had to be repaired. It was placed back on its pillar in April 1816.

Pavement

The Piazza was paved in the late 12th century with bricks laid in a herringbone pattern. Bands of light-colored stone ran parallel to the long axis of the main piazza. These lines were probably used in setting up market stalls and in organizing frequent ceremonial processions. This original pavement design can be seen in paintings of the late Middle Ages and through the Renaissance, such as Gentile Bellini's Procession in Piazza San Marco of 1496.

In 1723 the bricks were replaced with a more complex geometrical pavement design laid out by Venetian architect Andrea Tirali. Little is known about Tirali's reasoning for the particulars of the design. Some have speculated that the pattern was used to regulate market stalls, or to recall their former presence in the square. Others believe the pattern was drawn from oriental rugs, a popular luxury item in this trading centre.

A field of dark-colored igneous trachyte with geometrical designs executed in white Istrian stone, similar to travertine composed the design. Squares of diagonally laid blocks alternated with rectangular and oval designs along broad parallel bands. The squares were pitched to the centre, like a bowl, where a drain conducted surface water into a below-grade drainage system. The pattern connected the central portal of the Basilica with the centre of the western opening into the piazza. This line more closely parallels the façade of the Procuratie Vecchie, leaving a nearly triangular space adjacent to the Procuratie Nuove with its wider end closed off by the Campanile. The pattern continued past the campanile, stopping at a line connecting the three large flagpoles and leaving the space immediately in front of the Basilica undecorated. A smaller version of the same pattern in the Piazzetta paralleled Sansovino's Library, leaving a narrow trapezoid adjacent to the Doge's palace with the wide end closed off by the southwest corner of the Basilica. This smaller pattern had the internal squares inclined to form non-orthogonal quadrilaterals.

The overall alignment of the pavement pattern serves to visually lengthen the long axis and reinforce the position of the Basilica at its head. This arrangement mirrors the interior relationship of nave to altar within the cathedral.

As part of the design, the level of the piazza was raised by approximately one meter to mitigate flooding and allow more room for the internal drains to carry water to the Grand Canal.

In 1890, the pavement was renewed "due to wear and tear". The new work closely follows Tirali's design, but eliminated the oval shapes and cut off the west edge of the pattern to accommodate the Napoleonic wing at that end of the Piazza.

Flooding

The Piazza San Marco is not far above sea level and during the Acqua Alta, the "high water" from storm surges from the Adriatic or heavy rain, it is quick to flood. Water pouring into the drains in the piazza runs directly into the Grand Canal. This normally works well but, when the sea is high, it has the reverse effect, with water from the lagoon surging up into the square. A historically important flood was the 1966 Venice flood, when an abnormal occurrence of high tides, rain-swollen rivers and a severe sirocco wind caused the canals to rise to a height of 194 cm or 6 ft 4 in.

(Wikipedia)

Der Markusplatz (italienisch Piazza San Marco, venetisch Piasa San Marco) ist der bedeutendste und bekannteste Platz in Venedig.

Der Markusplatz ist 175 m lang und bis zu 82 m breit und ist der einzige Platz der Stadt, der die Bezeichnung piazza trägt. Die anderen Plätze Venedigs werden campi genannt (von ital. campo ‚das Feld‘), da sie ursprünglich nicht gepflastert waren. Alfred de Musset nannte den Markusplatz den „Salon Europas“. Der Platz, der sich im Stadtsechstel San Marco befindet, ist geprägt von der Fassade des Markusdoms (Basilica di San Marco) und seinem Campanile und wird umschlossen von den alten und neuen Prokuratien. In der Verlängerung durch die sogenannte Piazzetta reicht er bis vor den Dogenpalast und öffnet sich dort zum Wasser, dem Bacino di San Marco, mit dem Beginn des Canal Grande. Vor der Markuskirche befinden sich seit 1480 drei Schiffsmasten, an denen an Sonn- und Feiertagen das Markus-Banner weht.

Da sich der Platz nur wenig über den Meeresspiegel erhebt, wird er bei Hochwasser immer wieder überflutet. Der Platz ist, wie nahezu die gesamte Innenstadt, eine einzige große Fußgängerzone. Der „schönste Festsaal Europas“, wie Napoleon ihn nannte, wird von Touristen, Fotografen und Tauben bevölkert.

Geschichte

Die Topographie des Platzes, wie sich im frühen Mittelalter darstellte, ließ sich ansatzweise rekonstruieren. Die Küste verlief demnach weiter nördlich, also näher am Dogenpalast, wobei das Gebiet des Molo mindestens bis ins 13. Jahrhundert einen flach abfallenden Küstensaum darstellte. Darüber hinaus erwies sich ein bei der Biblioteca Marciana 1888/89 entdeckter Kanal, der Rio Batario, als ein bis zu seiner Zuschüttung im 12. Jahrhundert quer über den Platz verlaufender Wasserweg. Untersuchungen unter der Bibliothek und unter dem Platz förderten Siedlungsspuren ab der 2. Hälfte des 7. Jahrhunderts zutage.

Der Platz stammt aus dem 9. Jahrhundert, als vor einer bescheidenen Markus-Kirche eine kleine Freifläche entstand. Seit dieser Zeit war er der Ort für die Ankündigungen und Staatsakte der Stadtverwaltung (siehe: Doge) wie auch für die zahlreichen Feste der Bevölkerung, beispielsweise des Karnevals von Venedig.

Der Marktplatz in seiner heutigen Form ist das Ergebnis zeitlich weit auseinander liegender städtebaulicher Maßnahmen zwischen 1200 und 1600.

Begonnen wurde 829 mit der Errichtung einer kleinen Grabeskirche für die Gebeine des Heiligen Markus unter dem 11. und 12. Dogen. Nach der Legende waren die Gebeine des Evangelisten aus Alexandria (Ägypten) nach Venedig entführt worden. Für sie wurde in unmittelbarer Nachbarschaft zu einem vorhandenen Dogenkastell an der Stelle des heutigen Dogenpalastes eine Kirche errichtet. 976 brannten Kastell, Kirche und rund 300 Häuser vollständig ab. Der dadurch entstandene Freiraum wurde von dem Dogen Pietro I. Orseolo für eine Neuordnung des Areals genutzt.

Seine jetzige Größe erhielt er nach 1156 durch Zuschüttung des Flusslaufes des Rio Batario im Westen und einer Schiffsanlegestelle, die sich zwischen Platz und Dogenpalast befand. Zwischen 1172 und 1178 wurde er unter dem Dogen Sebastiano Ziani nach Westen erweitert und er zeigte sich schon 1177, als Kaiser Friedrich I. die Stadt besuchte, als repräsentatives Zentrum der Stadtrepublik. Ab 1267 war der Platz gepflastert. 1340 wurde der Neubau des Dogenpalastes beschlossen, der nach dem verheerenden Brand von 1577 in seiner alten Form wiederaufgebaut wurde. Der heutige Umriss von Piazza und Piazzetta wurde erst durch die Bauten des 16. Jahrhunderts endgültig festgelegt.

Seit 1722 ist der Platz von einem Pflaster aus Trachyt nach einem Entwurf von Andrea Tirali bedeckt,[2] wobei dem dunkleren Untergrund ein helleres geometrisches Muster beigegeben ist, das den Platz länger erscheinen lässt. Davor war er, ähnlich der Piazza del Campo in Siena, mit einem fischgrätartig verlegten Ziegelpflaster bedeckt, das man noch auf den Gemälden von Canaletto und Bellini sehen kann.

Gebäude

Beginnend am Canal Grande befinden sich, gegen den Uhrzeigersinn, folgende Gebäude am Platz: der Dogenpalast, die Porta della Carta (das Verbindungsglied zum anschließenden Markusdom), der Uhrenturm, die Procuratie Vecchie, der napoleonische Flügel der Prokuratien, die Procuratie Nuove, der Campanile mit der Loggetta und die Biblioteca Marciana.

Porta della Carta

Das Torhaus zum Dogenpalast (ital. Palazzo Ducale), die Porta della Carta, wegen seiner einst üppigen Vergoldung auch porta aurea genannt, wurde zwischen 1438 und 1442 unter der Leitung von Giovanni und Bartolomeo Buon erbaut. Sie öffnet den Zugang zur Scala dei Giganti, wo das prunkvolle Schauspiel der Dogenkrönung inszeniert wurde. Die Skulptur des Auftraggebers Francesco Foscari befindet sich über dem Portal. Der Doge kniet vor Venedig, dargestellt durch den geflügelten Markuslöwen.

Uhrturm

Der Uhrturm (Torre dell’Orologio) selbst wurde zwischen 1496 und 1499 von Mauro Codussi errichtet, die angrenzenden Flügelbauten (1502–1506) stammen von Pietro Lombardo und wurden 1755 von dem Architekten Giorgio Massari mit einem dritten Geschoss aufgestockt. Die astronomische Uhr mit ihrem Zifferblatt aus Lapislazuli zeigt die Mond- und Sonnenphasen und die Tierkreiszeichen an. Zwei riesige Figuren aus Bronze schlagen auf einer Bronzeglocke die Stunden an.

Städtebaulich wird durch den Turm die Einmündung zur Merceria betont, andererseits ist er Endpunkt einer von der Seeseite des Platzes geführten Blickachse, die Piazza und Piazzetta optisch verbindet.

Im Prince-Alfred-Courtyard des Großmeisterpalastes in Valletta befindet sich an einem Turm mit der Pinto-de-Fonseca-Uhr eine dem venezianischen Original nachempfundene Uhr mit Glockenspiel. Das Glockenspiel diente später dem des Leipziger Krochhochhauses (1927/28) als Vorbild.

Prokuratien

Nord-, Süd- und Westseite des Platzes werden eingefasst von den Prokuratien, ehemaligen Verwaltungsgebäuden der Republik. Die alten Prokuratien im Norden wurden nach dem Brand eines Vorgängerbaus ab 1514 unter der Leitung von Bartolomeo Buon errichtet. Die neuen Prokuratien wurden ab 1583 unter der Leitung von Vincenzo Scamozzi und von 1616 bis 1640 unter Baldassare Longhena erbaut. Der früher rechteckige Platz erhielt jetzt seine trapezartige Form. Der Verbindungsriegel an der Westseite – ala napoleonica – ist ein Bau des 19. Jahrhunderts. Auf Veranlassung der französischen Besatzungsmacht war die zuvor dort den Platz abschließende Kirche San Geminiano mit der Fassade von Sansovino abgebrochen worden, um Raum für einen an die Architektur der Prokuratien angepassten Neubau zu schaffen. Dieser enthält einen großen Ballsaal, heute Teil des Museo Correr. Die Prokuratien beherbergen daneben das Archäologische Museum Venedigs.

Im Erdgeschoss der Gebäude findet man kleine Läden und Cafés, darunter die beiden berühmtesten Cafés Venedigs, das Gran Caffè Quadri, Lavena und das Caffè Florian, eröffnet im Jahr 1683 und damit das älteste Caféhaus Europas.

Campanile

Der freistehende Markusturm ist der Campanile, der Glockenturm der Kirche San Marco. Der Ziegelbau mit den für Venedig charakteristischen Bauteilen aus hellem istrischem Stein wurde auf einem älteren Fundament errichtet und im 12. Jahrhundert vollendet. Er diente den Seefahrern als festes Landzeichen und konnte bei Bedarf in der Nacht durch ein Feuer als Leuchtturm dienen. Der Turm wurde durch Erdbeben oder den Ausbruch von Feuer mehrmals beschädigt. Nach 1500 wurde das Obergeschoss des Turms nach der Zerstörung durch einen Blitzschlag mit einem pyramidenartigen Helm bekrönt, auf dem eine Figur aus vergoldetem Kupfer des Erzengels Gabriel errichtet wurde. Daraufhin nahm die Anzahl der Blitze, die den Turm trafen, zu, bis schließlich 1776 ein Blitzableiter installiert wurde. Am 14. Juli 1902 fiel der Turm in sich zusammen, ohne einen Menschen zu verletzen; anschließend wurde er in seiner alten Form, also als Rekonstruktion wieder vollständig aufgebaut: dov’era e com’era‚ wo und wie er war‘.

Loggetta

Die Loggetta am Fuß des Campanile wurde zwischen 1537 und 1540 von Sansovino errichtet. Sie diente den Patriziern der Stadt als Versammlungsort. In den Reliefs und den Skulpturen wird die Republik Venedig mit all ihren Tugenden – Geschicklichkeit im Krieg und beim Handel, politische Eintracht, Redegewandtheit ihrer Protagonisten – verherrlicht und ihre Friedensliebe und die besondere Protektion durch den Evangelisten Markus dargestellt. Beim Einsturz des Campanile wurden Teile ihres Figurenschmucks zerstört.

Biblioteca Marciana

Das Gebäude der Biblioteca Marciana wurde von Sansovino an die neuen Prokuratien angebaut, es verbindet architektonisch die Piazzetta mit dem Markusplatz.

Olivetti-Ausstellungsraum

Olivetti ließ von 1957 bis 1958 von dem Venezianer Carlo Scarpa einen Ausstellungsraum am Markusplatz Nr. 101 errichten. 2006 wurde dieser Shop durch das Unternehmen restauriert und mitsamt den ausgestellten Produkten als Museum in die 1950er Jahre zurückversetzt.

Piazzetta

Der vom übrigen Platz etwas abgesetzte Teil zwischen Dogenpalast, Biblioteca Marciana und der Lagune wird Piazzetta San Marco genannt. Die Piazzetta (kleiner Platz, von italienisch piazza, „Platz“[4]) wird von den beiden Säulen dominiert, die Venedigs Stadtheiligen Markus (Marco) und Theodorus (Todaro) gewidmet sind; auf den Säulen befinden sich daher der Markuslöwe bzw. die San-Todaro-Statue (mit Todaro auf einem Krokodil posierend). Hier wurden Staatsgäste empfangen und Hinrichtungen durchgeführt, aber auch Glücksspieler gingen hier ihrem Geschäft nach.

Jenseits der durch den Canal Grande gebildeten Wasserfläche (hier als Bacino di San Marco) befindet sich die Punta della Dogana neben der von Baldassare Longhena errichteten Santa Maria della Salute. Außerdem steht hier das alte, 1678–1682 von Giuseppe Benoni errichtete Zollhaus Venedigs (Dogana da Mar), dessen Turm einen von Atlanten getragenen Erdball trägt.

(Wikipedia)

Can You Relate? by Jeff Bowen

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This tote bag is available in my current favorite Toronto coffee shop -Balzac's.

Known for his prodigious consumption of coffee, it seems appropriate that this coffee shop bears his name.

Background: www.openculture.com/2013/09/honore-de-balzac-on-the-pleas...

Relate to the ungulate_20150113 by lafaminute

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O'Jeezy, Casual D & Apex P (2016) by Bruh Breh

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Only Greats Relate / Only Great Records

Bangor RFC V Dundalk RFC Irish Junior Cup Final 31st January 2015 scrum by John Mooney

Dundalk overwhelm Bangor in All Ireland Final

by Roger Corbett

Bangor’s amazing run in the All Ireland Junior Cup came to an abrupt end when they were comprehensively beaten by Dundalk, eventually losing by 55-5.

Where do you start when trying to relate and absorb the events of Saturday’s final at Chambers Park? Firstly, congratulations to worthy winners Dundalk who nullified the Bangor attack, then went on to produce some stunning plays which racked up no less than 8 tries, each by a different player. For Bangor’s part, they were unable to respond to the intensity of Dundalk’s game, and lacked the cutting edge which their opponents used to great effect.

The day started full of promise, as the strong support from North Down made their way to Chambers Park in Portadown, knowing Bangor would be fielding their best team. Once again, the pundits had Bangor as the underdogs – just as they had done so in the previous three rounds! In confounding the experts earlier, Bangor produced some awesome performances against top quality opposition to get to the final. Dundalk had produced some convincing wins in the early rounds of the competition, but had struggled to get past CIYMS in the semi-final, just managing to squeeze ahead at the second time of asking. However, with a number of key players returning to the side in time for this game, they were now back at full strength and would be a formidable force to contend with.

Having won the toss, captain Jamie Clegg elected to play into the stiff wind in the first half. For the first 5 minutes, Bangor doggedly retained possession and tried to play their way into Dundalk’s half through a series of determined forward moves. However, little ground was made and, when possession was finally lost, the Dundalk back line produced a burst that simply cut through the Bangor defence resulting in an easy touch down under Bangor’s posts for a 7-0 lead.

Bangor stuck to their plan and slowly, but patiently, got their attack moving forward, eventually winning a penalty to the left of Dundalk’s posts, but Mark Widdowson’s kick into the wind drifted just wide of the mark.

The contrast in play between the two teams was becoming clear, with Bangor trying to keep the ball close while Dundalk were throwing it wide. The latter strategy was proving to be the more effective as, with 20 minutes gone, a quick back line move with players looping around resulted in an overlap on the right wing which gave a clear run in to again, score under the posts. A further 9 minutes later, they did it again and, although the Bangor defence had sensed the danger and moved across to cover it, their tackling let them down allowing Dundalk to get over in the right hand corner, taking their lead to 19-0.

By now, Bangor were trying to hang on until half time when they could regroup and come out with the wind at their backs. Dundalk, on the other hand were anxious to press home their advantage and give them a more comfortable lead. To Bangor’s credit, although camped on their own line for lengthy spells, they dug in and managed to hold on until the referee’s half time whistle.

As the teams reappeared from the dressing rooms, it was obvious Bangor were ringing the changes, particularly in the backs. With the wind advantage having lessened considerably, Bangor got the second half underway. It was now Dundalk’s turn to adopt the slow, steady approach, just as Bangor had done earlier. However, their more confident off-loading and support play was, once again, taking play deep into Bangor’s territory. Frustration at not being able to gain possession and take play out of their danger area eventually resulted in a yellow card for Clegg after a succession of penalties. Dundalk kicked the penalty to touch, won their lineout and drove for the line. Although initially held up by the Bangor defence, Dundalk’s repeated drives were eventually rewarded with another converted score, extending their lead to 26-0.

From the touchline, the Bangor faithful had felt that if their players had managed to score first in the second half, they may have been able to mount a fight-back and close the gap to their opponents. As it was, this Dundalk score simply bolstered their confidence and pushed Bangor deeper into trouble. With Bangor still a man down, Dundalk added to the score with a penalty and then another score in the corner. Everything was now working for the Leinster men, as even the difficult touchline conversion into the biting wind successfully split the posts, bringing the score to 36-0.

As the game entered the final quarter, and with Dundalk all but holding the cup, Bangor were now on the ropes. By contrast, the Dundalk players were in almost total control, and were not going to slow down now. In a 10 minute spell, they ran in a further 3 tries, making the scoreline 55-0. By now, any sense of dejection the Bangor supporters may have been feeling was now moved to feelings of sympathy for their players. However, pride was at stake and once again Bangor rallied as the game entered its final minutes. At last, the forwards got within striking distance of the Dundalk line and, although their repeated attacks were repelled, they finally managed to do what their opponents had done so effectively, and quickly passed the ball wide to Davy Charles. Even though they were 55 points ahead, the Dundalk defence made Charles work hard to drive through the tackles and score Bangor’s consolation try, bringing the final score to 55-5.

From Bangor’s point of view, the final score doesn’t tell the whole story of this competition. While the final may have resulted in a sad anti-climax for Bangor, the remarkable journey to get there will be remembered for some time. On the day, Dundalk were by far the better side, and Bangor would have to concede that their game was not up to the usual standard. However, there is no doubt the experience of competing at this level is something to relish and the goal now will be to secure a top four place in the league and try again next year.

Everybody at the club has nothing but the highest respect and praise for what has been achieved this year by not just the 1sts, but all the senior teams, and one poor result isn’t going to change that – the welcome at Upritchard Park for the returning players is testament to that. With that in mind, the players now need to put this disappointment behind them and provide the best possible response against a struggling Portadown side at home in the league next Saturday.

Bangor side: J Leary, A Jackson, P Whyte, F Black, G Irvine, R Latimer, J Clegg, C Stewart, R Armstrong, K Rosson, D Charles, M Aspley, M Weir, M Widdowson, C Morgan

Subs: S Irvine, O McIlmurray, D Kelly, M Rodgers, C Harper, D Fusco, M Thompson

Bangor scores: D Charles (1T)

Dundalk Storm To Title Dundalk 55 v Bangor 5 from KnockOn.ie

Dundalk Scorers: Christopher Scully, Owen McNally, Jonathan Williams, John Smyth, Ultan Murphy, Tiernan Gonnelly, James McConnon and Stephen Murphy 1 try each. Ultan Murphy 6 cons, 1 pen.

Bangor Scorers: David Charles 1 try.

In front of a big crowd at Chambers Park on Saturday afternoon Dundalk delivered a stunning and ruthless display to see off the challenge of Bangor and capture the All Ireland Junior Cup title for the very first time.

Three first half tries had them firmly in control at 19-0 ahead having played with the elements at the Portadown venue during the first half and while the wind dropped somewhat after half time the Dundalk intensity most certainly didn’t as they cut loose scoring five more tries.

Dundalk returned to a heroes welcome at their Mill Road clubhouse on Saturday night after a display of pure brilliance throughout the afternoon.

Precision, pace and skill from the Louth men from start to finish left Bangor playing second fiddle for long periods.

Einstein Landing Card, held by curator Lucy Gardner by Sophie Henderson

A landing card relating to Albert Einstein's escape from Nazi Germany has been discovered and put on display for the first time at the UK Border Agency's national museum in Liverpool.

The Jewish physicist fled from his homeland when Adolf Hitler came to power. A bounty was put on his head by the Nazis, who named him an enemy of the regime.

Landing cards were completed by all passengers arriving in Britain. Einstein's card is proof of his journey from Ostende, Belgium to Dover on 26 May 1933. On the reverse, he wrote that he was bound for Oxford.

After nearly 80 years stored at Heathrow Airport, it was discovered by curators from the museum, which is called 'Seized! The Border and Customs Uncovered'.

Assistant curator Lucy Gardner said:

'We didn't know this landing card ever existed until we visited UK Border Agency officers at Heathrow. We were keen on acquiring any documents relating to immigration, but were stunned to find paperwork relating to such a prominent historical figure as Albert Einstein.

'What's remarkable is that the landing card bears his signature, has his profession as "professor" and lists his nationality at Swiss. This shows how Einstein had renounced his German citizenship only weeks earlier in angry reaction to Nazi policies.

'This tiny piece of paper brings to life Einstein's escape from the Nazis to England. This country became a safe haven for him until he eventually settled in the US.'

Seized! The Border and Customs Uncovered is located in Liverpool's Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Official assisted passage passenger list, City of Adelaide, 1874 page 18 by State Records of SA

SRSA GRG35/48/1/74-9 Records relating to official assisted immigration - Crown Lands and Immigration Office; Official assisted passage passenger lists

Bangor RFC V Dundalk RFC Irish Junior Cup Final 31st January 2015 it hurts now by John Mooney