The stone heart of St Mark’s Basilica

If you are visiting St Mark’s Basilica and have just abandoned the wonderful vision of the Pala d'Oro (which is a must-see), just a few steps away from it, towards the exit, take a look at the floor you are walking on... at one point you will notice a slab of stone different from the others that bears a strange symbol: a heart that encloses a hedgehog surmounted by a ducal horn. This representation recalls that, beneath this slab, the heart of the 98th Doge of the Serenissima, Francesco Erizzo (1566-1646 - doge from 1631-1646) is buried. The hedgehog under the ducal horn is the symbol of the patrician family Erizzo and derives from the assonance between ‘riccio’ and ‘Erizzo’. The rest of the Doge’s remains are located near his birthplace, in the Church of St Martin, Bishop of Castello, in a monument sculpted while he was still alive by Mattia Carnero.

This is one of the many quirky facts that hide among the precious slabs of the splendid Golden Basilica! Do you want to discover some more? Then continue to follow us and if you have planned a holiday in Venice, book one of our dedicated tours of St Mark’s Basilica!