Details within Basilica di San Macro

Saint Mark's Basilica was an 11th Century piece of architecture that was modelled upon the church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. This basilica lies in the heart of the city of Venice. All streets in Venice lead to Piazza San Macro, where many tourists hang out to take shots against the backdrop of this grand basilica.

Basilica di San Marco was big in every way. In the small city of Venice, the 5 Byzantine domes of San Macro form the silhouette against the sky. And yet every detail of the church was looked into. Even the facade of the basilica is articulated vertically by dividing the width into five bays. It opened at ground level into porches and the icons of the 17th Century mosiacs speaks volume of the details that have been put into each arch design.

For the 3rd arch, which is the central archway,  the mosiacs are of Christ in Glory and the Last Judgement. They are enclosed in an arch populated with figures among foliage. Below the mosiacs are three archivolts (inner arches) which are illustrated with Romanesque-Byzantine carvings representing the Three Kingdoms: Land, Ocean and Animal, the Labours of the Months and the Signs of the Zodiac, the Virtues and Beatitudes. Running along the the intrados of the main arch are depictions of the typical Venetian trades.

The above is just 1 example of the amount of details that have went into planning for only one section of this gigantic basilica. I am filled with awe at the amount of efforts in building this structure during ancient times.

Upon personal reflection, maybe I should give details into planning the legacy that I want to leave in future...