Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-02-23
NOTES OF TRAVEL: NO. 6.

NOTES OF TRAVEL: NO. 6.
venice-rts Canals-The Palazzo of
st. Mark-The Cathedral-DoGes
Palace and Oh arches.
VENICE, Oct. 10, 1899.
To the Editor OF the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
CONTINUED
Opposite the ducal palace and by side of
the entrance of the canal Is the pslazzo
Royale with gardens on the canal and the
Library Vechia now enclosed in the palace.
The palace was built in the sixteenth CEN
fury by Sansovina, The facade on the
piazza side is composed of double colon
made of arches and imbedded columns.
On the upper colonnade the arches rest
upon series of small futed Ionic col
umns, with statues on the roof which, to-
gether with it's fine arosdes and portal,
forms grand whole to the rest of the
beautiful piazza.
The ground floor of the palace is occu-
pied by cafes and shops. The opposite
side from the palace is occupied with art,
curio, glass and picture shops. The piazza
is the grand focus of attraction to Vene-
tians and strangers. There they go to
enjoy fresh air, and to see and be seen.
Especially in the evening, when the band
plays from 8 to 10, you will be able to see
all the beauty and fashion of Venice, as
we'll as all sorts of lazaroni
The piazza ia thronged till midnight,
tho shops and cafes being brilliantly
lighted. The aroades under the palazza
royal after sunset are in front of the
cafes lined with hundred of chairs and
small tables for the use of their customers
There are also chairs and tables outside
the arcades certain nights to accommodate
the throng of customers, the principal re-
treatments being wine, biscuit or rolls
When partaking Of these light refresh
ments they listen to the band, visit and
tell one another the latest news An OBJ
server can see the most beautiful and fash
ionsbly dressed ladies and gentlemen
among these loungers. The flower girls
with their baskets Of flowers on their head
and sometimes arms, besides, are very per-
sistent in their importantly to have you
buy their beautiful roses, pinks and
violess.
A large flock of pigeons enlivens the
piazza. In accordance with an old custom
pigeons were sent out from the churches
Oh Palm Sunday and nestled in the hooks
of the buildings. They used to be fed at
public expense, but are now dependent on
private charity. Towards evening hun
dreds of them may be seen under the
arches and pinnscies of st. Marks, neces-
stating thorough washing of the facade
every day with the hose. There are no
horses, carriages or cattle of any kind to
be seen in Venice, everything being
brought from the mainland on the gondols
via the different canals.
Alter viewin tha facades of the differ
ent buildings in the piazza We went to see
the interior Of St Mark. The principal
pillars that carry the nave and transept,
fourteen in number, are of white slabaster,
lined with gray aud amb.r-each single
block fifteen feet high and six feet two
also adorned with two ranges of pillars of
porphry, aIabaster and verde antiques,
seventy-two in the lower range nine feet
high and four feet round, and seventy
nine in the upper range.
In the entrance hall, the mossics of the
| vaulting arc of the date of the twelfth
| century, it is claimed. Beginning at the
| right; first dome is represented the crea-
tlon of the world and full of man-in the
arch, the deluge; second dome, St. Mark
in the arch, Noah and the Tower of Babel;
third dome, history of Abraham; fourth
dome, Joseph's dream and Joseph sold by
his brethren; fifth and sixth domss Joseph
in Egypt; seventh dome, History of
Moses. Theee pictures sre all done in
mosaic. not painted.
the interior of the church proper con-
sists of nave and aieles, crossed by tran
sept and five domes. Above the entrance
door are represented Christ, Mary and St..
Mark in mosaic. The first dome of the
transept is adorned with representation
of the descent of the Holy Ghost in mosaic.
| The mosaics of the great central dome
| represent the ascention and scenes from
and left of the right altar are two puluits
in colored marbles, one being placed on
nine columns and the other on eleven col
umns Of colored marble. On the screens
are fourteen statues in marble-St Mark,
Virgin Mary, and the twelve apostles. In
the left traDsepr arch ia q mosaic repre-
senting the Renealcgy of Mary. There is q
! fine altar here, below which is the entrance
to the tomb of St. Mark. On the arched
parapet on each side of the choir are scenes
in bronzs relief from the life of St. Mark.
The high altar stands beneath a canopy
| of verds-antiaue, borne on four columns
of marble. The Pala d'Oro Ia a magni6
cent specimen of ancisnt oriental art, il
ensmelled work with beautiful and costly
jewels of every description, on plates Of
ly altar-ptece. 1t was designed and manu-
featured in Conssantinople in HOS. 1t is
uncovered on high festivals only. Under
the altar ara relics of St. Mark Behind
the high altar is second altar with four
spiral columns of alabaster, said to have
ones belonged to tins temple of Solomon at
Jerusalem, they having been among the
trophies carried away by Charlamager
when he captured Jerusalem aud sacked the
temple, being taken to Egypt by him. They
were captured by the Vcnetiars in their
wars with the calitf, along wish most of
the other costly slabaster and other beau
tiful pillars, and brought to Venice to
adorn and beautify the last resting place
of St. Mark. The outside column on either
side is of black aabaster. the two middle
ones are of transparent pinkish white in
| color. l had the good lnck to see the beau
| titul Paia d'Oro altar-piece and these lovely
alabaeter pillars. Whether they ever be-
logged to the temple of Solomon or not, as
said, they are certainly fine enough to have
done go. The transparency of the white
ONES were praved to my satisfaction by the
guide holding lighted taper behind one of
them, which l saw very plainly burning
| through it. The sight of these ine speci-
| mems Of art Was accomplished by fee, as
| there is heavy curtain hung before them
and they are only to be seen upon certain
| days in the year.
The dome mosaics represent Christ sur
rounded by Old Testament saints. The
| pacristy has some very fine mosaicz. In
the bap:istry is large font with b"onxs
lict. The stone over the altar Ia said to
have come from Mount Tabor. To the left
Of the altar Is the head of John the Bap-
fist. Underneath the head is the stone on
which he was said to have been behended
The mosaics in the central dome represent
Christ commanding the disciples to bap-
tixs the Gentiles in his name. The other
mosaics ale scenes in the life Of John the
Baptist.
After viewing aud contemplating the
figures and Inscriptions of the different
domes. 1 agree entirely with Ruskin, to
whom am indebted for the trsnslstions
of Inscriptions, in his view of them, that
it was the intention of the architect and
builders. of ST. Mark, to make of these
figures and Inscriptions a sort of illustrated
book of prayer for the contemplation and
study of the people. To illustrate, there is
large portico on each side of the church
reserved for unbsp,ised persons and con-
verts. Before baptism these persons are
taken into these porticos for contempla-
ton of the great facts of old testament his
tory-such as the fall of man, lives of the
patriarchs and covenant of Moses, all given
n mosaic-uirh tho iOecription II, 1uroa