St Mark’s Bell Tower Campanile: Tickets

St Mark’s Bell Tower Campanile - Tickets and Information

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• St Mark’s Bell Tower Address:  P.za San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE, Italy
• Opening Hours: Daily: 09:30 - 21:15

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Is St. Mark’s Bell Tower Campanile worth visiting

• If you like incredible views and historic buildings, definitely, yes! It’s also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Venice.

What do you see when visiting St. Mark’s Bell Tower Campanile

• Incredible views of the city
• The tallest vantage point in the city

About St Mark's Bell Tower, Campanile di San Marco.

Standing at around 99-metres tall, St Mark's Bell Tower or ‘Campanile of St Mark’s’ is one of the tallest structures, as well as being one of the best selling tourist attractions in Venice!

Originally constructed in the 12th century, St Mark's Bell Tower was a lighthouse for passing ships. It was also used as the prototype for all campaniles on the lagoon and in the area.  was then later rebuilt to its current form in the 16^th century after an earthquake caused significant damage.

The bell tower has been struck by lightning multiple times due to its height and also the iron structure, so they added a lightning rod in 1776 to help protect it!

There’s a golden angel situated on the top which acts as a weathervane! There were originally 5 bells on the tower but now only the largest is still in place with the other 4 sadly destroyed in 1902 when the tower collapsed due to construction in the area.

The church was only saved from collapse due to the ‘proclamation stone’ situated at the corner of the church which protected the church and saved its full collapse and it was rebuilt between 1903 and 1912.

As the tower is the highest vantage point in Venice it offers incredible views of the area including the city and the lagoon and attracts visitors from all over the world as they pass daily on the cruise ships.

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Fun Facts About St Mark's Bell Tower

• The Five Bells: The campanile’s original five bells each had a specific purpose in Venetian life: the Marangona (announced the beginning and end of the workday), the Nona (sounded at noon), the Trottiera (summoned members of the council), the Mezza Terza (for Senate meetings), and the Maleficio (rang for executions)! Only one remains though.
• Galileo's Telescope: In 1609, Galileo Galilei demonstrated his newly invented telescope to the Doge of Venice from the top of the bell tower, marking a significant moment in the history of astronomy.
• The Loggetta: At the base of the tower is the Loggetta, a small, elegant building designed by Jacopo Sansovino in the 16th century. It served as a meeting place for the Venetian nobility and the city’s guards.
• Lightning Strikes: Due to damage suffered, they had to install a lightning rod to protect it from further lightning strikes!
• Piazza San Marco: The tower is located in the iconic Piazza San Marco, Venice's most famous square, and stands adjacent to St. Mark's Basilica, adding to the grandeur and historical significance of the area.