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St. Mark's Campanile - The Famous Belltower of Venice
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.
Not many of Venice's original structures remain. The current St. Mark's Campanile is a perfect replica of the one which collapsed in 1902. It had stood for over 500 years. The current incarnation - its third - was built in 1912.
A smaller and slightly less ornate version marked the original bell tower, built in the 9th century. It had to be torn down in the 1500's after an earthquake damaged it. They made the second bell tower a little bigger and a little better. Famous admirers of it included Galileo and Goethe.
Because the bell tower was so large, it gave a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. This saw it being used by the military as well as the clergy. Venetians listened for the bells not only to remind them of church, but to be warned that danger was coming and you had to get ready for battle.
The bells ring for different reasons. The largest bell rings just to herald the start and stop of a work day. One rings just to herald the ninth hour. Another is reserved just to summon the Venetian politicians to go to 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.
This latest incarnation of St. Mark's Campanile includes an elevator in order to get to the top. The attic is large enough to walk around in and get magnificent views of the city. Inside the belfry is beautiful marble that you can't see from the ground.
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