St Mark's Cathedral

1. Time of construction: From 1063 - 1071
2. Location: Venice, Italy

Venice was built as a safe place to break water in 813. The body of the Mark was stolen for the pious faith of Alexandria, Egypt and brought to the city 828. Previously there was a church built. to pay homage to the people but was destroyed by fire in 976. The present church is adjacent to the Doge Palace of the past, started construction in 1063 and was offered in 1094.

(Photo: davidpatterson)

This is a unique work in Western Europe, partly due to its architectural form and the other part is due to the extraordinary richness of mosaic decoration. Both characteristics are due to the fact that Venice, a commercial empire formed by naval power, looks to the East, toward Constantinople and not to the West. Church building model is the church Justinian's much older holy saints in Constainople were devastated after the invasion of the United States.

Like the emperor's church, St Mark's church has a Greek cross-shaped diagram: 4 equal long branches forming the time between the church, the horizontal wing and the cathedral with bowls facing up above the branches and the intersection. together. The cathedral ends in the house of the semifinals at the end of the church and around the middle and the horizontal wings, outside the bowed roofs are paths. To improve, St Mark's church has 2 floors, initially there are corridors above the aisle but later dismantle these corridors, the pathway is also made into 2 floors, even though the boardwalk has handrail located on the upper floor of the interlock chain with the column. The result is a combination of a cage-type complex of spaces with mysterious views that flashed between marble columns.

Around the middle of the church, in the north, east and west, but not merging into the space between the church, the lama hall on the upper floor covered with a series of smaller bowls. The mosaic material in these bowls is arranged in concentric circles as a continuous story. Small in size and just enough to admire clearly, mosaic material is one of the stages that many people must be passionate about the whole church. The creation of the Fish Bird is an example of how creativity creates at a very liberal level.

Build

(Photo: frittsorgan)

St Mark's church is actually built of bricks, but each surface is made of marble or elaborate mosaic material, so that the overall effect is to create extreme richness. From a structural engineering perspective, the church is not innovative, and cannot match the size or daring of the Hagia Sophia in Constainople. The main soil layer is Venice's mud, which is unstable, even when reinforced with rafters or wooden piles, the disaster is threatening - the present risk is clearly evident on the floor.

The completed church in 1071 was essentially the same as the church today. The western façade is still full of five deep gate roofs, lined up with marble and covered with semi-circular mosaic panels overlaid with the upper floor with small semicircular doors, only a small door in the middle is left. glasses. These small windows were covered with a kind of Gothic ornament recently, according to John Ruskin, they are like sponges.

Actual data:

1. Total length: 76m
2. Width of horizontal corridor: 61m
3. Roman hall width: 47m
4. The roof of the bowl is main:
   - Diameter: 13m
   - Interior height: 29m
   - Exterior height: 40m.

Decorate

For thousands of years, the work has accumulated many works of art, some works such as marble decoration and mosaic materials, which are indispensable parts of the project. Other works like Pala d'Oro (golden altar) and Bronze horses, all gathered from elsewhere.

The final mosaic is also Byzantine style but the work of Italian craftsmen following the Ravenna tradition in the 6th century, forming a complex diagram of Christian doctrine, from creation to the end of the world. . The mosaic work started immediately after the construction of the church was completed, and the mosaic process continued until the 12th and 13th centuries. On the ground floor, the exterior of the walls was covered with marble, most of the history The use of ancient Roman materials plundered from many locations in Europe. On the upper floor, many red or green discs show that the classic columns have been cut to form a panel in the form.

From the west main entrance, visitors enter the multi-pillar entrance or the Roman hall, where the mosaic material is in the bowl of the Old Testament: the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, Cain, Abel, Noah and the Great Flood, Babel Tower, the story of Moses and Joseph and finally the story of Moses and export of Egypt.

Inside the church comes from the New Testament - the life of Lord Jésus, the crucified god and the Ascension, the Acts of the Apostles, ending with the Apocalypse. The life of the Apostles, especially the life of St. Mark, is quite detailed. Not every detail is made from the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, many parts of the dome and walls were restored to the design of the leading artists in Venice, including Tintoretto.

(Photo: jsu)

Among the treasures obtained from the Middle Ages, 2 of the most significant treasures are Pala d'Oro (Golden Altar) and Bronze Horse. The golden altar was composed by artists from Constainople in 975 but there are many changes and additions. The altar curtain has many pictures on colorful enamel and is encrusted with precious stones. Six large landscapes along the top represent the tragic story of Lord Jésus and the death of the Virgin Mary, with the archangel Michael in the middle. Other panels show the life of Lord Jésus and many saints.

Bronze horses were part of a number of trophy looters in Constainople in 1204 - a disgraceful episode of the Fourth Crusade. Bronze horse generals still stood above the western gate. (or put it on it but bring it down today and replace it with a copy). There is still much controversy about the age and origin of these bronze horses.

It took days to admire all the marvels in St Mark's church. Some are now included in the museum outside the capsule. In fact, the entire church was a museum, but the museum still retains its original function and meaning, bearing the unique taste of the past, a memorial that makes both despair and life feel. feel proud.