When you think of Venice, what symbol comes to mind? For many Venetians, that symbol is the bell tower of the Basilica di San Marco. This bell tower is known in English as St. Mark’s Campanile.
The bell tower is one of the most prominent features of the Venetian skyline. It’s hard not to miss, at 323 feet (100 meters) tall. Made of simple and elegant brick, it stands alone in St Mark’s Square, housing five bells. Looking way up, you see a golden weather vane of the Archangel Gabriel standing on top of a pyramid-shaped spire.
The impressive structure is an exact replica of the one which mysteriously collapsed one summer morning in 1902. Mind you, that one was built to replace the original bell tower built in the ninth century, but it was heavily damaged in an earthquake in the 1500’s.
Before its sudden and inexplicable collapse, St Mark’s Campanile had been built in the 9th century. After an earthquake in the 1500’s, it became irreparably damaged and needed rebuilding. Famous visitors to the second incarnation of the bell tower include Galileo and Goethe.
Venetians appreciate the many services the unique bell tower has performed for the city. Not only do the bells help save their souls, but they also have served to warn of incoming armies. Because it was the biggest structure in Venice for many centuries, they military used it for defensive purposes, while tourists and artists have used it to “see forever”.
The bells have their own nicknames and jobs in their bell tower. One bell - Nona - only rings at the hour of nine. Another bell, the largest, nicknamed “the carpenter”, rings to begin and end the average work day. Another dreaded bell tolls the death of a prisoner. Yet another is reserved to remind Venice’s politicians to attend the Doge’s Palace.
At first, a big brick structure sounds a bit boring, but the Campanile is anything but boring. The eye is immediately drawn to the simple brick tower base. The upper portion has bricks covered in gold leaf (this is what turns the tower into a lighthouse). The belfry is covered with bas relief of lions (the animal of St Mark) and a goddess-like figure that is supposed to represent Venice.
Many tourists enjoy taking the elevator ride up the Campanile to enjoy the view and the interior artwork of the tower. They can also see the intricate marble works of the attic and meet the bells in the belfry.