THE Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark, commonly known as St Mark’s Basilica, is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Venice in northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city’s churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It is connected to the Doge’s Palace.

Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, but has been the city’s cathedral since 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Venice. The building’s structure dates back to the later part of the 11th century, and many of its artefacts and relics were plundered from Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Because of its opulent design, gold mosaics and its status as a symbol of Venetian wealth and power, from the 11th century onwards the building has been known by the nickname Chiesa d’Oro (Church of Gold).