St. Mark’s Campanile - The Famous Belltower of Venice
You haven’t truly seen Venice until you see the bell tower (the Campanile) of the Basilica di San Marco and St Mark’s Square. This is the structure around which the rest of Venice revolves. It is also considered the symbol of the soul of Venice.
Although next to a cathedral, the bell tower is free-standing. It’s plain but elegant next to the overdone gaudiness of the cathedral. It towers almost 100 meters high (323 feet) and has a base of 39 square feet. It has to be that big and sturdy to house the five bells. Atop the spire is a weather vane in the shape of the Archangel Gabriel.
What exists today is actually a replica of a replica. The second St. Mark’s Campanile (the first to take on its familiar shape) collapsed for no known reason in 1902 after 500 years of faithful service and was rebuilt in 1912.
The current incarnation of St Mark’s Campanile is based on the second tower, which sports the shape and features that made it world-renowned. It was this second tower that Venetians fell in love with and began to identify with. Non-Venetian fans of St Mark’s Campanile include Galileo and Goethe (who wasn’t even Italian).
Because the bell tower was so large, it gave a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. This saw it being used by the military as well as the clergy. Venetians listened for the bells not only to remind them of church, but to be warned that danger was coming and you had to get ready for battle.
The bells have their own nicknames and jobs in their bell tower. One bell - Nona - only rings at the hour of nine. Another bell, the largest, nicknamed “the carpenter”, rings to begin and end the average work day. Another dreaded bell tolls the death of a prisoner. Yet another is reserved to remind Venice’s politicians to attend the Doge’s Palace.
The Campanile looks less gaudy than many of the buildings surrounding St Mark’s square, but is still a breath-taking sight. The top of the tower’s bricks are covered in gold leaf in order to reflect the sun and transform the bell tower into a lighthouse. If your eyes are good enough, you can see designs in bas relief of lions and a goddess-like woman nicknamed “Justice”, the embodiment of Venice herself.
Tourists love riding the elevator to the attic to see the bells and the incredible view of the square, and of Venice herself. The attic and belfrey also has intricate marble works that you can’t see from the ground.
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