 Top of San Marco Basilica as seen from Campanile by Librex | Campanile and its Views tips and photos posted by real travelers and Venice locals. • 245 Photos
• 157 Reviews
See all Venice Things To Do |
 | Venice Campanile and its Views Reviews | 1 - 10 of 157 |  |
Towering nearly 100 metres above Piazza San Marco, il Campanile di San Marco was originally built in the 10th century. It had the triple function of acting as the bell tower of the Basilica, as a defensive watchtower, and as a lighthouse for navigating ships. Il Campanile received its present look in the 16th century after a damaging earthquake necessitated restoration and renovation, only its foundation gave way in 1902 causing the entire tower to collapse. It had become such an important symbol of the city that funds poured in for its reconstruction. It was rebuilt in 1912 identically to its predecessor, about a millennia after it was first built! The only difference was that the new tower was equipped with a lift, which now shuttles visitors up for panoramic views of Venice and its lagoon. Address: Piazza San Marco
|
Visiting Venice?
Read reviews about Venice Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
I have to admit that enjoyed the bell tower of San Marco more than anything else at the square. The entrance fee is 8 euro but it is worth every euro because of the amazing view you will get when you get up there by lift.
The tower is 98 meters tall with a golden statue of the archangel Gabriel on the top that rotate by wind and when it facing the Basilical the locals know there will be high water! It dates back from the 9th century and rebuilt in 12th, 14th and 16th again. It was totally collapsed in 1902 and was built again in 1912. What we see today is a replica of its predecessor. Although it is a bell tower it was basically used as a watchtower. It houses 5 bells that signaled different messages (start/end of the work day, the hour, call to judges at the doge’s palace, summon magistrates and announce of executions!!). Some days earlies I had seen AC/DC live in Athens so I couldnt resist singing "Hells Bells" for a while :)
As I said the amazing thing here isn’t the tower and the big bells (pic 2) but the amazing views over Venice (pics 3-4). I was surprised we were almost alone up there so we could take our time admiring the view in all directions and then take some photos of the lagoon, the neighboring islands, the beautiful red rooftops of Venice etc. There are some simple signs that indicate what you are looking at and you can also use the audio guide that you take before going up with the lift. It is open 9.00 till late in the afternoon (depending on season).
There is a small souvenir shop up there but don’t waste your time for that up there, enjoy the view! Address: San Marco square, San MarcoPhone: 041-5224064Directions: opposite San Marco Basilica
|
 | |  |
The line at St. Marks was long, so we went up the bell tower instead. That was 8 € each and was a lot of fun. We had great views over the city. There is an elevator - you don't have to walk up. Before we got on the elevator we saw signs in many languages (photo 5) which said "It is obligatory to deposit here the backpacks. The deposit is free. Attention! Do not lose your ticket. Thanks"
A campanile – pronounced /kampaˈni:le/ – is, especially in Italy, a free-standing bell tower, often adjacent to a church or cathedral. The word derives from the Italian campanile, from campana (bell). In the St Mark's Campanile, there are the 5 bells (one of them is in photo 2). I don't think they will be rung while people are up there.
For those that like statistics, the tower is 98.6 meters tall, and is mainly a plain brick square shaft, 12 meters a side and 50 meters tall, above which is the arched belfry. The belfry is topped by a cube, alternate faces of which show walking lions and the female representation of Venice (la Giustizia: Justice). The tower is capped by a pyramidal spire, at the top of which sits a golden weathervane in the form of the archangel Gabriel. If you get a good picture of what the bell tower looks like in your head, you can figure out where you are because all the many campanile of Venice are different.
Schedule for visits
From April To June and In September and October:
From 9 a.m. the morning until 7 p.m. in the evening.
In July and August:
From 9 a.m. of the morning until 9 p.m. in the evening.
From November To March:
From 9 a.m. thirty the morning up to 4:15 p.m. in the afternoon.
When you are looking over the city and trying to pick out landmarks, it had a green triangular top. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
This 325ft red brick belltower is one of Piazza San Marcos popular landmarks.
As I mentioned in my intro, I don't like to waste time queueing for hours, when I could be spending the time exploring etc.
However, on my last morning, I'd nipped out to find an ATM in the Piazza, and passing the Campanile, saw there was only a short queue, so decided to take my chance. I'd been stood for 5 minutes, when I learnt that the elevator was broken- there was some chance that it would be sorted within the hour. I returned to my hotel and continued with my original plan, to see as much of Venice in my few hours before returning to the airport
The Camponile holds 5 bells, each had their own function
The Trottiera announced a session of the Grand Council
The Marangona is the largest, signalling the beginning and end of the working day
The Nona rang to announce noon
The Mezza Tererza rang to announce the opening of senate
The Maleficio -the smallest bell rang to announce an execution
In 912 the tower was in operation as a lighthouse and belltower. The area that is now the Piazzetta, was the citys harbour.
It was continually renovated and modified until 1515, when it was rebuilt by Bartolomeo the Younger, who added a gold angel to its top. This lasted until 14th July 1902, when the tower gained a huge crack, followed by the tower completely collapsing at 09.52- being Venetian, it did this elegantly! and surprisingly the only life lost was of the caretakers cat - Melampyge, who was named after Casanovas dog!!
The decision was made to reconstruct the tower 'Where it was and as it was' or dov'era e com'era - (The same slogan being used later that century following the fire and subsequent restoration of the Fenice Theatre), and it re-opened on St. Marks Day 25th April1912. There were those who thought that the Piazza looked far better without the Camponile though.
The base of the tower -an elegant Loggetta, was intended to be a club for noblemen, but became a guardroom for voluntary police officers - the Arsenalotti, then the state lottery centre.
When the tower collapsed, it was completely destroyed, but surprisingly was reconstructed from the salvaged wreckage. Salsovina originally designed a building to completely enclose the campaniles base, but in the end, only a quarter of this work was carried out (between 1537 and 49)
The marble reliefs are from Verona, representing Venice (Justice) Crete (Jupiter) and Cyprus (Venus) (The Most Serene Republic -Serenissima )
Bronze figures of Pallas, Apollo, Mercury and Peace, and the terracotta figures inside the loggia are believed to be the work of Sansovino, except for the figure of St John, which is a modern copy.
Lift Open (!) daily April - June, Sept and October 0900 - 1945
July and August 0900 - 2100
November- March 0930 - 16.15
Closed for 3 weeks after Christmas each year
admission 6 euros.
I've been told that a good view is just before the sunsets.
I understand that the Campanile is closed for restoration at the moment - Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San Marco VenicePhone: 041 522 4064Directions: VAPORETTO SAN MARCO or SAN ZACCARIA
|
| | |
 Campanile and its height; look
from the foot by Fam.Rauca, 4 more photos
This construction has a high of 98,50 m, and is one of the highest buildings of the city. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San Marco, Venice
|
Visiting Venice?
Read reviews about Venice Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 The five bells of the
Campanile and the top of
it by Fam.Rauca,
4 more photos
Here, there are five bells with different resonances and several functions in the ancient times.
The Venetians knew the sense of the sounds.
The marangona ringed at the beginning and at the end of a work day.
The malefico announced an execution.
The nona sounded at the noon.
The mezza terza called the senators in the Palace of the Doges.
The trottiera announced a session of the Grand Council.
An elevator, installed in the 1962 in the inside of the Campanile, brings the tourists on the terrace with splendid view over the city.
On the top of the tower, a golden angel is placed. That was the creation of Bartolomeo Bon. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San Marco, VenicePhone: 041 522 40 64Directions: At the corner between the Piazzetta and the Piazza San Marco.
|
The 98,6 m high Campanile towers at the corner between the Piazzetta and the Piazza San Marco.
The Bell Tower, the Venice's well-known landmark, faces exactly the basilica.
Already in the 9th century, there was here, a belfry.
The design for the present-day form, with spire and gilt angels, comes from the year 1514.
In January of the year 1902, the entire tower fell, suddenly, in itself together.
To the luck, the Loggetta, the building placed at the feet of the tower, was not destroyed.
An elevator drives up to the platform with splendid view over the city and the lagoon, until to the Alps. Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San Marco, VenicePhone: 041 522 40 64Directions: Vaporetto 1 Station: San Marco
|
 Birds eye view of diners in
Piazza San Marco by suvanki, 4 more photos
As mentioned in my previous tip, I didn't ascend the tower during my Christmas 06 visit.
I hadn't intended to visit this time (June 07), but - No Queue and the elevator was working! So I decided this my chance to see the views, and maybe catch the sunset!
Apparently on a clear day, You can see the Alps
I paid 6 euros, and entered the lift.
My initial idea that I would have the views more or less to myself were soon quashed by the noisy arrival of a large group of middle aged- elderly people, weighed down with cameras, all chattering ten to the dozen at top volume in an unidentifiable language.
As the elevator rose, my spirits sunk - as I was repeatedly dug in the ribs by my neighbours elbow, while being trodden on - Hey, I'd become invisible!!
Spilling out of the elevator, I headed towards one of the viewing bays, and was settling down to get my bearings, when I was nudged along, by one of the camera wielding group, eager to take a picture of their partner.
I moved to one side, thinking she would take the photo, then move on - Oh no- this was to be an epic, as the one being photographed kept directing the shot, checking it, deciding it wasn't to her liking, re posing etc!
Each of the viewing bays has a map depicting the view, and indicating the direction that you're facing. There are also taped guides available from the ticket desk.
However, getting to see anything became a battle, as another group from the same party had arrived.
The Camponile had become Campon-Hell!
I eventually managed to see the views - including over San Marco Piazza, the roof of the Ducal Palace, towards the surrounding islands, and I even caught the sun setting.
I would have liked to have spent more time locating the landmarks of Venice, but was getting fed up of being jostled around.
During this time, the large bells rang - but even they couldn't drown out the sound of this tour group!
I admitted defeat and left!
Open Daily 0900 hrs
October - Easter to 1700
Easter - Sept to 1900
June - mid September to 2100
Admission 6 euros
UPDATE- December 2008 - I visited the church of St Giorgio Maggiore - climbed its campanile - and had a better time- less crowded , 3 Euros, and with Great views -and time to enjoy them!! Leave a Comment Address: Piazzo San Marco VeniceDirections: Vaporetto - SAN MARCO or SAN ZACCARIA
|
| | |
Unlike in many Italian cities where you have to be fit (to climb hundreds of steps in claustrophobic conditions) to enjoy superb city views, Venice - its Campanile (bell tower), to be specific - takes tourists up the 99-meter tower in no time (and effort) at all through an efficient lift system. Not fun, if you are like me who considers the effort in climbing up as part of the experience. Somehow the reward of spectacular views is not as sweet as when actual physical exertion is involved. In any case, this is highly recommended and offers countless photo opportunities of the city's unique character.
But I doubt if that was that easy (to get to the top) when the tower was first built in the 10th century (which was destroyed in the 1902 and rebuilt since then), when the elevator didn't exist, much less electric power.
As the pictures will indicate, the weather was lovely when I went up. I initially planned to visit the Campanile a day prior to that, but the weather was not as good with occasional drizzles and very cloudy - not very good conditions for outdoor photography. The catch of visiting the Campanile on a fine day was the higher entrance fee of 7 euros vs. 6 euros when weather was not as good. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 Campanille by lina112
Torre de 99 metros de altura que se encuentra al lado de la basilica de San Marcos. Es el punto mas alto de la ciudad y ofrece una vista maravillosa. El original era del siglo XI, pero sufrió numerosos avatares entre ellos un incendio en el siglo XV. El actual es del siglo XX. Leave a Comment Address: St Marks piazza
|
|
- Casa Kirsch Hotel
Castello 4266 100 meters far from St. Mark's Square, Venice - Abbazia Hotel Venice
Calle Priuli dei Cavaletti 68 Cannaregio, Venice - Bonvecchiati Hotel Venice
Piazza San Marco 4488, Venice - Hotel Antiche Figure
Santa Croce 686, Venice - Locanda Ca' San Marcuola
Cannaregio, 1763, Venice - Palazzo Bembo
San Marco 4785, Venice - Hotel Kette
San Marco 2053, Venice - Alle Guglie
Rio tera San Leonardo 1523 Cannaregio, Venice - Venice Apartments
Cannaregio 3888, Venice - Comfort Hotel Diana
Calle dei Specchieri 449, Venice - Lux Hotel Venice
Calle delle Rasse Castello 4541-42, Venice - Bonvecchiati Palace Hotel
Calle dei Fabbri 4680 San Marco, Venice - Ambassador Tre Rose
Piazza San Marco 905, Venice - Locanda Ca' Formosa
Castello 4857, Venice - The Westin Excelsior Venice
Lungomare Marconi, 41, Venice
|
