In your travels around Italy you’ll come across many churches with elegant proportions, well-designed façades and beautiful decoration. This is not one of them. Mark Twain likened it to a ‘warty bug, going for a walk’.

If the miss-matched columns and other bits tacked onto the front look like they were gathered from a rummage sale, you’re not far wrong. Most of it was looted from Roman and Byzantine buildings in Constantinople. In 1204 Venice sailed off to the Holy Lands to help support the Fourth Crusade, intending to recapture Jerusalem from Muslim hands. They got side-tracked by some local politics in Constantinople along the way and, after promises of money and military support vanished, the Venetians decided to take what they wanted and sacked the city. Not their finest hour.

Above the main door are four bronze horses which date to somewhere between 300 BC and 100 AD (no one is quite sure), which once stood above the entrance to the chariot race track in Constantinople. These are actually copies – the originals have been moved inside to protect them from pigeons and rain, so we’ll talk more about them when we get inside.

There are five doorways on the front of the church, and above each is a mosaic.

On the far right is a scene representing the rescue of Mark – note the turban-wearing Muslims turning away in disgust at the sight of the pork in the basket, which hides the body of St. Mark.

In the next one to the left, the sailors are arriving back in Venice, where they are met by the bishop.

The large central door has a mosaic of Christ enthroned in Heaven, then we continue with more about Mark. The mosaic just to the left of the central door shows Mark’s body being carried into the church which was built for him, with the bishop (in red on the left) and Doge (in gold on the right) looking on.

The last mosaic on the left shows the church, with a procession of people leaving after Mark’s body was placed under the altar.

(excerpted from our forthcoming book Hand Crafted Walks in Venice)

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In your travels around Italy you’ll come across many churches with elegant proportions, well-designed façades and beautiful decoration. This is not one of them. Mark Twain likened it to a ‘warty bug, going for a walk’.

If the miss-matched columns and other bits tacked onto the front look like they were gathered from a rummage sale, you’re not far wrong. Most of it was looted from Roman and Byzantine buildings in Constantinople. In 1204 Venice sailed off to the Holy Lands to help support the Fourth Crusade, intending to recapture Jerusalem from Muslim hands. They got side tracked by some local politics in Constantinople along the way, but, after promises of money and military support vanished, the Venetians decided to take what they wanted, and sacked the city. Not their finest hour.

As you pass through the door into Saint Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy the bulk of the crowd will head straight, through another door that takes them into the heart of the church. Unnoticed by most is a small door on the right hidden in plain sight, with a small sign that says Loggia dei Cavalli. Head through that door and up the stairs, and the crowds disappear. WARNING: The steps are uneven, and have fairly large risers. If you have difficulty climbing stairs, think twice about going up there.

Those who make the climb will rewarded with a closeup view of the church's mosaics, a look at the real bronze horses inside – which are fabulous – and a view of St. Mark's Square from the Loggia.

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On November 13 Venice was hit by a flood that reached over six feet, just 2 inches shy of the record high water mark set in 1966. At this level, more than 80% of the city is under water.

The water has receded somewhat, but more high water hit the city again today.

Floods in Venice are usually not caused by rain and increased river flows, but rather by winds and storms in the Adriatic Sea, which drag a dome of water into the lagoon that surrounds the city. More than 15 years ago Venice began a project, called MOSE, to create flood barriers at the entrances to the lagoon. Anchored to the sea floor, the barriers were designed to rise up when high water was predicted, preventing exactly the situation that the city is now facing.

The system was supposed to be completed by 2014, but unfortunately the project has been delayed by political corruption. Current estimates are for the barriers to be completed by 2021, but already there have been problems with tests. Hinges and others parts that were designed to last 100 years are reportedly rusted and at risk of failing, just ten years after being put in place.

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A pair of backpackers hanging out in Venice were fined €950 (over $1000) for making coffee. Thing is, they were making the coffee on a travel stove, while sitting at the foot of the Rialto Bridge, the oldest bridge across the Grand Canal. In addition to the fine, they were also banned from the city.

Maybe the city should have had them spend a day picking up garbage left by other thoughtless tourists.

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