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Travel Travel Tips St. Mark's Campanile - The Famous Belltower of Venice
Travel Travel Tips St. Mark's Campanile - The Famous Belltower of Venice
| St. Mark's Campanile - The Famous Belltower of Venice |
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| Written by Jill Kammer |
| Thursday, 24 July 2008 17:07 |
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You haven't truly seen Venice until you see the bell tower (the Campanile) of the Basilica di San Marco and St Mark's Square. This is the structure around which the rest of Venice revolves. It is also considered the symbol of the soul of Venice. The bell tower is one of the most prominent features of the Venetian skyline. It's hard not to miss, at 323 feet (100 meters) tall. Made of simple and elegant brick, it stands alone in St Mark's Square, housing five bells. Looking way up, you see a golden weather vane of the Archangel Gabriel standing on top of a pyramid-shaped spire. Not many of Venice's original structures remain. The current St. Mark's Campanile is a perfect replica of the one which collapsed in 1902. It had stood for over 500 years. The current incarnation - its third - was built in 1912. A smaller and slightly less ornate version marked the original bell tower, built in the 9th century. It had to be torn down in the 1500's after an earthquake damaged it. They made the second bell tower a little bigger and a little better. Famous admirers of it included Galileo and Goethe. Venice has been a magnet for conquerors over the centuries. The bell-tower became drafted to help in the duty to not only fight for Venetians' souls, but their lives as well. St Mark's Campanile has served as bell home, watchtower and lighthouse. With its commanding view, hostile forces to Venice could be seen and with the bells ringing, immediately warn the locals of their arrival. Each of the five bells has different jobs. The largest is to announce the beginning and ending of a usual work day. A second acts like a clock bell, gonging the hour. One is reserved to call the Venetian Senators to the Doge's Palace. Another is for when prisoners are executed. The Campanile looks less gaudy than many of the buildings surrounding St Mark's square, but is still a breath-taking sight. The top of the tower's bricks are covered in gold leaf in order to reflect the sun and transform the bell tower into a lighthouse. If your eyes are good enough, you can see designs in bas relief of lions and a goddess-like woman nicknamed "Justice", the embodiment of Venice herself. Many tourists enjoy taking the elevator ride up the Campanile to enjoy the view and the interior artwork of the tower. They can also see the intricate marble works of the attic and meet the bells in the belfry. About the Author: Rent a Venice Apartment from Venice-Accom.com - the specialists in short-term vacation Apartment rentals across Italy. Kindly provided by MoneyHunter.org You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include the link just before this text. |
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