This is the symbol of the city’s public life. It is the only ‘piazza’ in Venice, the others are called ‘campo’.  A long series of modifications have brought the piazza to what it is now – a rectangular public meeting place with the Basilica at one end and an isolated bell tower, the highest in Venice, to its left. 

In front of the Basilica is the Bell Tower – 96.8 metres high, the highest bell tower in Venice, called "il padrone di casa" (the landlord) by venitian people. On top is the gold plated Angel Gabriel which is three metres high with large wings that, in the wind, make it revolve.  For Venetians, when the angel is pointing toward the Bastilica, it is a sign of impending high tides.  The bell tower provides a gorgeous view of the city and lagoon.

After being closed for restoration until 2006, the Clock Tower  is finally given back to venetians and it's ready to continue beating the hours in Saint Mark's square from its dominating position at the entrance of Mercerie. The Clock Tower is one of the most important symbols of Saint Mark's Square. Ruling at the apex of the clock tower are the Giants (one young and one old, showing the passage of time) who bang out the hours with their hammers. They have blackened over the years and are now known as the "Mori".

Hidden in its own little court yard, at the end of a narrow street off Campo Manin, is the elegant Contarini del Bovolo staricase.  It is an example of transition from Gothic to Renaissance style architecture in Venice with its peculiar spiral (‘bovolo’ in Venetian dialect) stairs going up the outside of the building instead of the inside. From the top is a lovely view of Venice’s roofs and spires.

A recent film by Saverio Costanzo called In memoria di me (In Memory of Me) shows the island which all its beauty at once large and small, finite and infinite.

The bridge of Scalzi is also called the Railway Bridge because it is near the railway station, Santa Lucia.  It was built in 1934 by engineer Eugenio Miozzi.

The Accademia bridge is one of four that cross the Grand Canal together with the Rialto Bridge, the Scalzi Bridge and the new Calatrava Bridge.

Rialto Bridge is the most famous and the more ancient bridge in Venice, until 1854 it was the only bridge to cross the Grand Canal. Today it's one of the three bridges that cross the Grand canal, together with the Accademia and the Scalzi bridge.

The bridge of the Costituzione was inaugurated on September 11th 2008 at 11,44pm.  It is the newest bridge and it connects the railway station to where the mainland meets Venice – Piazzale Roma.

This is the last of the confraternities in Venice.  It  was named the large school or leading school by the Council of Ten in 1767. It was the confraternity of devotees to the Virgin of St Carmel and the building is similar to those designed by Longhena.  It houses works of art from the 1600s and 1700s among which are a series of paintings by Gian Battista Tiepolo.