The bell tower (campanile) of the Basilica di San Marco is one of the most eye-catching sites in Venice. It is located on a corner of the Piazza San Marco, near the front of the Basilica di San Marco itself. Locals refer to the tower as “The Landlord” (Il Padrone di Casa).
Campanile San Marco Venice
Address, Opening Hours and Admission Price
The address of the Campanile di San Marco is Piazza San Marco – Venice (tel. +39 0412708311). Water bus: 1, 41, 51, 82 (San Zaccaria or Vallarasso). Opening hours: November to Easter: 09.30 to 15.45. The rest of the year it opens at 09.00 and closes at 19.00, except in July, August and September, when it closes at 21.00. Entrance fee: 8 Euro. (Note that times may differ during the Covid-crisis.)
Curiosities
The difference between a normal bell tower and a campanile is that the latter stands next to a church, but is not an integral part of it.
The tower is almost 100 meters tall. Half of this is taken up by a 12 meter wide brick column on which the belfry (with 5 bells) rests. At the bottom of the belfry is the Loggetta del Sansovino.
On top of this is another block depicting alternating lions (symbol of St. Mark) and the female representation of Venice (la Giustizia, or Justice).
Construction of the first version of the campanile was completed in 1514. The current bell tower is a reconstruction from 1912. It was necessary because in 1902 the original tower had collapsed.
In the times of the Venetian Republic, caged convicts were sometimes left dangling from the campanile.
In Las Vegas, the Hotel Venetian is a replica of St. Mark’s Square, including a rather tall Campanile.
The roof is pyramid-shaped. Its weather vane is the Archangel Gabriel.