Religious Building · Venice, Italy
St Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (Italian: Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco; Venetian: Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello. Built 828.
Photo: Zairon via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Venice, Italy |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Built | 828 |
| Architect | Domenico I Contarini |
| Length | Length: 76.5 m |
| Coordinates | 45.4344° N, 12.3397° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What St Mark's Basilica is known for
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (Italian: Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco; Venetian: Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello.
About St Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (Italian: Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco; Venetian: Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello. It is dedicated to and holds the relics of Saint Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of the city. The church is located on the eastern end of Saint Mark's Square, the former political and religious centre of the Republic of Venice, and is attached to the Doge
History
Participazio church (c. 829–976) Several medieval chronicles narrate the translatio, the removal of Saint Mark's body (excluding the head) from Alexandria in Egypt by two Venetian merchants and its transfer to Venice in 828/829. The Chronicon Venetum further recounts that the relics of Saint Mark were initially placed in a corner tower of the castrum, the fortified residence of the Doge and seat of government located on the site of the present Doge's Palace.
Planning a visit? Visit the official St Mark's Basilica website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Venice |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Venezia / Tessera - Marco Polo Airport (VCE) |
| Distance from the airport | 4.7 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) · Venezia (VE), Italy · 4.9 miles away
- Treviso Airport (TSF) · Treviso (TV), Italy · 16.4 miles away
- Trieste Airport (TRS) · Ronchi dei Legionari/Trieste, Italy · 60.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Italy
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is St Mark's Basilica?
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (Italian: Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco; Venetian: Baxéłega de San Marco), is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathedral of San Pietro di Castello.
Where is St Mark's Basilica located?
St Mark's Basilica is in Venice, Italy. Its coordinates are 45.4344° N, 12.3397° E.
How do I get to St Mark's Basilica?
The nearest town is Venice, and the nearest airport is Venezia / Tessera - Marco Polo Airport (VCE), about 4.7 miles away (straight line).
When was St Mark's Basilica built?
St Mark's Basilica was built 828.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mark's_Basilica — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172988 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.