St Mark's Campanile

Campanile di San Marco

A 98.6-meter red-brick bell tower. Take the elevator to the top for a 360-degree view of Venice and the lagoon, though the city’s lack of tall buildings means you can’t see any canals directly below.

St Mark’s Campanile was originally a 9th-century watchtower. By the 16th century, it had taken its current form: a red-brick tower with a green pyramid roof and a golden angel weathervane. On July 14, 1902, it suddenly collapsed completely, though no one was injured. It was rebuilt exactly as it had been in 1912. In 1609, Galileo demonstrated his telescope to the Doge from here. An elevator takes you to the bell chamber at the top, 60 meters up. From there you can see St Mark’s Square, the five domes of the cathedral, the Doge’s Palace, San Giorgio Maggiore, the lagoon, and the outlying islands. On clear days, you can even see the Dolomites. Interestingly, you can hardly see any canals, because the city’s buildings block them from view. The five large bells in the bell chamber still ring the hours. The chimes are very loud when you are at the top.

Admission is 12 euros (2025 price). You can reserve a time slot online for an extra 2 euros to skip the line. The tower is open approximately 09:30–21:15 (until 17:45 in winter), with variations by month. It may close temporarily in fog, strong wind, or thunderstorms. Tips: Book an evening slot to see the sunset and the lit-up square. Lines in peak season often exceed one hour, so reserve online as early as possible. If you don’t want to queue, the bell tower of the San Giorgio Maggiore church (8 euros, one stop on Vaporetto Line 2) offers a view of St Mark’s that includes the campanile, and it is much less crowded. Getting there: inside St Mark’s Square. Note: The top level has no restrooms and limited space. Large luggage is not allowed. It is very crowded and noisy around the hourly chimes.

St Mark's Campanile

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