Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Venezia's Church of Gold

Photography is prohibited inside Basilica di San Marco so I bought this postcard to remind me of how amazingly beautiful the interior of this Byzantine church looks like. I didn't want to trust my memory with all the artistic and architectural details I saw inside. I craned, strained, and stretched my neck to marvel at the opulent ceilings, vaults, and walls of this place of worship. You can bet that I had a very stiff neck afterwards.




Basilica di San Marco is also referred to as Chiesa d'Oro (Church of Gold) because of its gilded mosaics which covers about 8,000 square meters of its walls, vaults, and cupolas. 
"The mosaic decorations were developed through some 8 centuries of the Basilica's history. They represent stories from the Bible (Old and New Testaments), allegorical figures, events in the lives of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Saint Mark and other saints. The mosaics, with their warm colors, particularly gold, decorate the ample spaces of the Basilica, from 28 metres wide up to 21 metres high. As in Middle-Eastern churches, the interaction of the decoration with a dim, but ever changing light, according to the time of day, creates a range of evocative and intense effects."  (Official website of St. Mark's Basilica)
"The intricately-patterned floor is a 12th-century mixture of mosaic and marble in geometric patterns and animal designs. A red medallion in the floor of the porch inside the main door marks the spot where, in 1177, Doge Sebastiano Ziani orchestrated the reconciliation between Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Emperor, and Pope Alexander III.
Over the high altar is a baldacchino on columns decorated with 11th-century reliefs. The altarpiece is the famous Pala d'Oro (Golden Pall), a panel of gold embedded with gems. It was commissioned from Byzantine goldsmiths in 976 and further embellished over the centuries. Napoleon stole some of the precious stones in 1797, but there are still plenty left, gleaming behind protective glass.
The choir stalls are embellished with inlaying by Fra Sebastiano Schiavone, and above them on both sides are three reliefs by Sansovino. On the two marble pulpits of the ambo are statuettes by the Massegne brothers (1394). Also in the choir are Sansovino's bronze statues of the Evangelists and Caliari's of the Four Doctors." (www.sacred-destinations.com)
Words, no matter how creatively stringed together, and photos, no matter how expertly captured, cannot adequately convey and bring to life the resplendence of the architectural masterpiece that is Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco.  One has to see and experience its grandeur.


Indeed, the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice is one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen.  I long to gaze at its beauty again.


Wishing you happy journeys...

This is my response to the Wednesday Postcard Meme of Willa of
Postcard Perfect
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16 comments:

  1. Willa @ PostcardPerfectJune 8, 2011 at 11:57 PM

    wow! This is simply amazing!!!Just the thought of you seeing this place for real makes me green with envy,and I agree that nothing ,as in no words and no pictures will beat the real thing. :)

    Thanks for joining us!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Postcard JourneysJune 9, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    Willa, the Cathedral is really awe-inspiring. Napapanaginipan ko pa yan minsan.

    I hope to participate in the meme as much as i can. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. ExplorermindedJune 9, 2011 at 12:39 AM

    breathtaking! amazing indeed! thanks for dropping by my entry...great to be here!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Postcards CrossingJune 9, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    I was hanging on to your every word for I might not have a chance to see it myself! Lucky to you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Postcards CrossingJune 9, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    *I meant lucky you to have seen it with your own eyes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. CheerfulJune 9, 2011 at 7:25 PM

    wow, that's amazingly beautiful...you're so lucky, i am still dreaming to see places like that! happy postcrossing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. shydubJune 10, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    I love the look of the church very solemn and sacred

    ReplyDelete
  8. JillJune 10, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    This is too pretty :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. RUBY CaberteJune 12, 2011 at 12:27 AM

    Hello Sis... was here.

    Added you to PE blogroll and to my sidebar blogroll.

    Postcard Enthusiasts - http://www.postcardenthusiast.com/2011/05/postcrossing-enthusiasts.html

    Postcard Enthusiast - http://www.postcardenthusiast.com/ (check my sidebar)

    ^^

    ReplyDelete
  10. Postcard JourneysJune 12, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    I'm glad you like the card, friends. I already added your blogs to my list. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. kakenJune 14, 2011 at 7:49 PM

    wow... so beautiful I like it..

    ReplyDelete
  12. kakenJune 14, 2011 at 7:53 PM

    and about the printing press, its in guisad baguio city. reinella printing press.

    but if you have a good printer why not print your own, you just have to choose the right paper. The layout is pretty easy too.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Postcard JourneysJune 14, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    Hi Kaken!
    Thanks for the info on the printing press. It's too far from where I live. :)
    Anyway, I haven't tried printing my own cards. I have a laser printer so I guess it will work. Will try it one of these days. My friends have been bugging me to send them postcards featuring the photos I took. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. ChrisJune 18, 2011 at 4:21 PM

    what a beautiful postcard! :D thanks for the visit :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. postcard printingMay 25, 2012 at 2:47 PM

    Amazing just i said that is really really amazing!! this is so beautiful i loved your emotions.. what a great postcard..

    ReplyDelete
  16. pheobe22May 28, 2018 at 7:53 PM

    Outstanding efforts for making this blog!! Your writers and your work are really appreciative. eddm postcard printing

    ReplyDelete

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