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Why Visit St. Mark's Square

If it's your first time in the most romantic city in Italy and you don't know where to begin your Venice tour, head to the beautiful Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square in English.

This must-see place in Venice is the main square of the city, generally referred to as "la Piazza". The remarkably unique square dates back to the 12th century and is surrounded by eye-catching old buildings, most of Renaissance style.

Among the spectacular buildings enclosing San Marco is the impressive Roman Catholic church, Saint Mark's Cathedral, easily recognizable by the excessive amount of its colorful details. Even more breathtaking is its nave, where you can find golden mosaics in the roof, detailed wooden figures, and a colorful floor, often described as a "marble carpet".

St. Mark's is also the square where stands the enormous and impressive Doge's Palace which is home to a museum, this attraction is also for sure worth putting on your Venice itinerary.

Plus, in one of the corners of the long open square stands St. Mark's Campanile. The almost 100-meter tall belltower has despite its previous restoration become a well-known symbol of Venice.

Also, at the opening of the square, towards the canal, you can find the Columns of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Saint Theodore. Not many people know this but the third column is supposedly lost to the sea.

What is more, strolling St. Mark's Square you cannot miss the famous Renaissance Clock Tower that's situated next to the cathedral and has a unique mechanic clockwork.

Go through the archway under the Clock Tower to find the main street of the city. Today the square is used for numerous events, such as the iconic Carnival of Venice, is held at the square.

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