Basilica San Marco (Venice)

Cardigans are not something you think of on a hot mid-August day in northern Italy, when you've got to catch a train to Venice. But you should. Oh yes, I wasn't let into the Basilica San Marco for this very reason, my shoulders weren't covered. Italy has a penchant for not letting people with bare shoulders into religious buildings. Normally you can get away with it, but being such a f**k off great big building and rather famous so I'm told, security is high here, and I wasn't let in on account of my shoulders. I never knew they could get me into so much trouble! So whilst my parents were marvelling at the "lovely ...  Read the complete review

The Basilica San Marco is located at the east end of St Mark's Square in Venice, and is one of the best known landmarks in the city. Built on a Greek cross plan, the church has five huge domes, the current church is the third to be built on the site. The first was built in the 9th century to house the body of St Mark, and was destroyed by fire, supposedly along with his body, near the end of the 10th century. The second church was relatively shortlived, and pulled down in the 11th century to make way for the church that stands today. Admittedly there has been substantial work carried out on the church since then, and very little of the original 11th century ...  Read the complete review