Mosaics of st Mark's Basilica

When one thinks of the basilica of San Marco, the first images that come to mind are those of the mosaics and their golden backgrounds. The mosaics cover the walls, vaults and domes of the Marcian basilica for over 8000 square meters. Essentially Byzantine in its architectural conception, the basilica finds its natural integrating element in the mosaic. The mosaic decoration develops over about 8 centuries of the basilica's history. The mosaics of the basilica of San Marco depict stories taken from the Bible (Old and New Testament), allegorical figures, events from the life of Christ, the Virgin, San Marco and other saints. The mosaics, in which warm colors dominate, in particular gold, adorn the large space of the basilica, which measures 28 meters in width and reaches 21 in height in the arches.