View from San Marco Campanile of Piazza and Basilica by T. E. Smith-Lamothe

Canon G7

(Note: This hand-held panorama was taken in May 2007, when there was scaffolding on one side of the Basilica during renovation work there.) Called by Napoleon "the drawing room of Europe", the Piazza San Marco is a must-see destination for every visitor to Venice. The Square is anchored on one end by the heavily ornamented and multi-domed Basilica San Marco. Begun in the 11th century, it is an amazing example of the influence of the Byzantine style on Venetian architecture. The mechanized city clock tower (Torre dell'Orologio) has two hammer-toting bronze Moors clang out the hours by slowly rotating and hitting a bell. Most every tourist to Venice visits the Piazza, but not everyone goes to the top of the Campanile. Don't worry about climbing endless stairs, there is a small elevator to the top!