There's a magic to Venice that's best found in the stillness of dawn. On an early October morning in 2018, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, the legendary city transformed. The canals lay glassy and still, reflecting a sky streaked with the softest pastels, and the air was thick with a quiet anticipation. This is the Venice that few travellers get to experience—the one before the crowds arrive.
The Grand Entrance to a Grand Square
Wandering towards the heart of the city, the journey's destination was clear. The light was liquid gold, and it seemed to coat every building in a warm, ethereal glow. The Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, is the only true "piazza" in Venice. For centuries, it has been the city's political and religious hub, and Napoleon himself famously called it the "drawing room of Europe." In the tranquillity of the morning, you can truly appreciate its scale and grandeur.
The two towering columns, the Colonna di San Todaro and the Colonna di San Marco, stood sentinel at the edge of the water. The first holds a statue of St. Theodore atop a crocodile, Venice’s original patron saint, while the second is crowned by the city’s iconic winged lion, the symbol of its current protector, St. Mark. They mark the grand gateway from the lagoon, and seeing them at sunrise feels like stepping through a portal to another time.
The Dazzling Basilica and the Tower of the Master
Dominating the square is the breath taking Saint Mark's Basilica, a spectacular masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. With its intricate marble carvings and five great domes, it's a testament to the city's immense wealth and power as a trading hub. Known as the "Basilica d'Oro" or the Golden Basilica, its facade sparkles with mosaics that hint at the gold leaf covering its interior. Legend has it that the church was built to house the relics of St. Mark, smuggled out of Alexandria by Venetian merchants in the 9th century.
Standing guard next to the basilica is the imposing St. Mark's Campanile, Venetians' beloved "master of the house." This brick bell tower, at nearly 100 meters tall, has a fascinating history. It's not the original tower; the first one collapsed in 1902 and was rebuilt exactly "as it was, where it was" (com'era, dov'era). From its top, you can get a spectacular panoramic view of the city, its bell regulating the pulse of Venetian life for centuries.
Off to the side of the main square, tucked beside the Basilica, lies a quieter space: the Piazzetta dei Leoncini, or the "little square of the lions." Named for the two squatting red marble lions that stand guard, this area offers a more intimate experience. While the main square buzzes with energy, this corner provides a tranquil space to pause and take in the magnificent architecture of the Basilica from a different perspective.
As the morning light grew brighter and the first cafe tables were set out, the magic of the golden hour began to fade, replaced by the vibrant energy of a new day. But for a brief, beautiful moment, Venice belonged to the sunrise.
I took these pictures on the 31st October 2018 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green photography store on Zazzle.
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