400 Years of St Mark's Basilica in Venice

The façade of St Mark's Basilica in Venice. In the lower section, the dates "1617" and "2017" — the year the basilica was completed and the coin's issue year respectively — together with the Italian Republic emblem "RI"; below, the inscription "SAN MARCO". To the right, the initials of artist Luciana De Simoni "LDS"; at the top, the inscription "VENEZIA" and the Rome Mint mark "R".

St Mark's Basilica in Venice is one of the most important sacred buildings in Europe and is regarded as one of the most impressive examples of Byzantine-Romanesque architecture west of Constantinople. Growing since the 11th century, the Basilica di San Marco unites influences from the Eastern Roman Empire, the Islamic world and the Latin church tradition — a reflection of Venice as a trading power at the crossroads between East and West. Its interior, covered by more than 8,000 square metres of gold mosaics, and the five distinctive domes above the Greek-cross floor plan defined the appearance of the lagoon city for centuries. As the state church of the Republic of Venice, it was also a political symbol: here doges were inaugurated, alliances sealed and victories celebrated.

The facade's present form, with its richly decorated arches, the four-horse quadriga and the Gothic tracery of the upper storeys, developed over several building phases. When the last major construction work was completed in the early 17th century, the year 1617 marked the conclusion of a building process that had taken more than five centuries. In 2017, Italy commemorated this anniversary with a 2-euro commemorative coin, honouring a building that remains part of the UNESCO World Heritage and represents Venice as a cultural centre of both Italy and Europe.