The Sestiere of San Marco has played a crucial role in the city of Venice since its very foundation. It is connected to the north by the Grand Canal; to the south, the Piazza looks out over the Venetian Lagoon, by the basin of San Marco; to the west by the Rio del Palazzo; and to the east by the Rio de San Zulian. The sestiere (the Venetian term used to refer to the city’s districts) is bordered to the north by the sestiere of Cannaregio and to the east by the sestiere of Castello, while it connects to the sestiere of San Polo via the Rialto Bridge and to the sestiere of Dorsoduro via the Accademia Bridge. San Marco is truly the beating heart that pumps life through the entire city.
The sestiere of San Marco –originally called Rivoalto, hence also the name Rialto – is the original core of the city. In its first centuries of life, the city of Venice was called Civitas Rivoalti precisely in reference to the islands on which it was founded. The heart of this district is St. Mark’s Square, which for almost a millennium was the political and judicial center of the Republic of Venice.
The vital hub of the sestiere, St. Mark’s Square is overlooked by the Doge’s Palace, the seat of Venetian political power since its initial construction in the 9th century, and St. Mark’s Basilica, the private chapel of the Doge up until 1807.
Overlooking the square are the Procuratie, which are located opposite the Basilica and the Doge’s Palace and were the seat of the Serenissima’s legal power. They are now, in part, home to the Libreria Sansoviniana, or Marciana National Library.
Unanimous with this famous site, the towering Campanile di San Marco also rises majestically right in the Piazza. Another monument of interest is undoubtedly the Clock Tower, with its Dò Mori.
Moving out from the Piazza, behind the Doge’s Palace from the Ponte della Paglia bridge it is possible to admire the well-known Bridge of Sighs beyond which the sestiere of Castello begins.
Other places of interest are the Teatro La Fenice, the church of San Moisè that stands at the end of Calle Larga XXII Marzo, and Palazzo Grassi, not long since converted into a prestigious exhibition venue.
No less important and worthy of a visit are also the Church of San Salvador, a short walk from the Rialto Bridge and the Accademia (those who appreciate fine art are urged to go inside to admire Titian’s Annunciation and the Transfiguration of Christ); Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, the Gothic palace famous for its spiral staircase and the world-famous Rialto Bridge.
The island of San Giorgio Maggiore, where the basilica of the same name and the Giorgio Cini Foundation stand, also belongs to the sestiere. To reach this island and appreciate the beauty of its basilica, one needs only take a vaporetto directly from the stop located in front of St. Mark’s Square.
Interested in owning your own home or vacation property in the very heart of Venice?
Contact the experts at Ravagnan’s to find your dream property in one of the most sought-after districts in all Europe.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
