Basilica San Marco, Venice

It was a Sunday and the St. Mark’s Basilica was open only from 2-5 pm so we reluctantly decided to skip lunch and join the queue. The queue is huge but if you have stood in Vaikunda Ekadesi queues in the wee hours of the morning or stood in queues in any Indian temple for that matter, this queue would be something of a joke for you.

The queue on a rainy day, as seen from the clock tower

Basilica San Marco - my queue view :P

After about 15 minutes of standing in the queue, we were asked to keep our bags in the luggage counter and come back (through another entrance without the queue thankfully). Well, even if you had a HUGE handbag, they let you in but backpacks are a strict no-no. The luggage counter was situated in a narrow lane (no surprises there) overseeing the queue. We also saw “no photos” and “no skimpy clothes”(no shorts and no sleeveless clothing) signs so we kept our cameras inside as well.

The Italo-Byzantine architecture of the basilica is stunning. The ceilings are sky high and have paintings everywhere. The Church of Gold, as it has been nicknamed for its wealth, St. Mark’s Basilica was originally the cathedral of the Doge of the Venetian Republic. It is adjacent and connected to the Doge’s Palace.

Renovation is currently underway at the basilica :/

The exquisite gold ground mosaics, the serene atmosphere and the high ceilings, the crypt…it was like being transported a few centuries behind. I would have loved to spend more time there, basking in the silence, but a bunch of fidgety tourists were clicking away right next to us. We were annoyed that they were clicking pictures standing next to the signs that prohibit exactly that, but we were actually even more annoyed that we had obediently left our cameras behind :P

The silence and serenity of the basilica still rings in my ears though. We are now off to see the Doge's palace and the museums. Be right back!

Expenses:

My super yummy mouth-watering lunch

·      Venetian Mask Fridge magnet - €1.00

·      Pizza slices from a roadside joint for a late lunch - €6.00

·      Gelatos and Water - €5.00