The San Marco tower is one of the symbols of Venice.
It is almost 100 meters high ( 98.6 m) , one of the highest towers of Italy , and in the past was one of the tallest towers in the world.
Its construction began in the IX century AD, and was used as a watchtower and a lighthouse.
During the centuries it has undergone several reconstructions due mainly to damage caused by natural events such as lightning and terremoni that have put a strain on the strength of what the Venetians was and still is " el Paron de house."
In 1489, lightning destroyed the spire of wood and an earthquake in 1511 severely damaged the tower . The shape of the tower as we see it today was finally ended July 6, 1513 , and on top was a statue of the Archangel Gabriel to protect the tower. In addition, above the portico of the bells was placed in an attic with 4 pages 2 depicting lions san marco and two female figures representing justice.
The tower has always been present in the life of the Venetians during the rule and after , not only because it served as a beacon for ships approaching the pier , but because the bells recalled the vaneziani their duties : for example Marangona , the largest , announced the beginning and the end of the work of cormorants , or carpenters arsenal , the arsenal , the Trottiera gave signal to the patricians to assemble in the Great Council Hall , Trottiera because in those days was still using the horse to reach St. Mark's Square and put their horses to a trot to get in a hurry, because Pregadi third or half the senate recalled the meetings and at the time the senators were called Pregadi because they were " asked " to attend the meetings . But there was also a smaller one called Maleficium being played during the death sentences .
Sull ' apex of the tower also was hung a wooden cage in which the prisoners were locked up (especially belonging to the clergy ) guilty of sodomy by the murder of several crimes , they were exposed to public ridicule that often ended with the death of the condemned in the cage . This torture is called suplissio de la cheba .
It is almost 100 meters high ( 98.6 m) , one of the highest towers of Italy , and in the past was one of the tallest towers in the world.
Its construction began in the IX century AD, and was used as a watchtower and a lighthouse.
During the centuries it has undergone several reconstructions due mainly to damage caused by natural events such as lightning and terremoni that have put a strain on the strength of what the Venetians was and still is " el Paron de house."
In 1489, lightning destroyed the spire of wood and an earthquake in 1511 severely damaged the tower . The shape of the tower as we see it today was finally ended July 6, 1513 , and on top was a statue of the Archangel Gabriel to protect the tower. In addition, above the portico of the bells was placed in an attic with 4 pages 2 depicting lions san marco and two female figures representing justice.
The tower has always been present in the life of the Venetians during the rule and after , not only because it served as a beacon for ships approaching the pier , but because the bells recalled the vaneziani their duties : for example Marangona , the largest , announced the beginning and the end of the work of cormorants , or carpenters arsenal , the arsenal , the Trottiera gave signal to the patricians to assemble in the Great Council Hall , Trottiera because in those days was still using the horse to reach St. Mark's Square and put their horses to a trot to get in a hurry, because Pregadi third or half the senate recalled the meetings and at the time the senators were called Pregadi because they were " asked " to attend the meetings . But there was also a smaller one called Maleficium being played during the death sentences .
Sull ' apex of the tower also was hung a wooden cage in which the prisoners were locked up (especially belonging to the clergy ) guilty of sodomy by the murder of several crimes , they were exposed to public ridicule that often ended with the death of the condemned in the cage . This torture is called suplissio de la cheba .
In addition, at the foot of the tower there were several shops where the wine was sold , it was common for passers-by in the square say " andemo a tor shadow " , to indicate that you went to the shops to drink wine in the shade of the bell tower wine.
The tower was in fact protected by other events , but "only " for a little over two centuries when in 1745 he was again hit by another lightning which caused a gash and the death of some people because of debris.
But the most tragic event and spectacular happened July 14, 1912 at 10 am.
Earlier that month, on the north side of the tower was segalata the presence of an obvious crack that grew in the days just so that on the morning of July 14, 1912 , half an hour before the collapse after a visit to the square was sgomerata . Around 10 am the bell tower collapse on itself causing no deaths or injuries , nor daeggiando seriously valuable buildings around (if not the adjacent library Sansovino ) .
As if " el Paron de casa " expected that the square was cleared to do no harm to its citizens. But the extraordinary facts are not limited to this, the statue of the Archangel Gabriel slid in front of the main door of the basilica reporting only minor damage , in a position that looked like that of a person who prayed to thank for the narrow escape . Another surprising fact is that the debris was found a glass of Murano perfectly intact.
The debris did not damage the basilica of San Marco also because this was defended by the " stone of the call " from which were read at the time of the Republic laws and senteze of death.
But the most tragic event and spectacular happened July 14, 1912 at 10 am.
Earlier that month, on the north side of the tower was segalata the presence of an obvious crack that grew in the days just so that on the morning of July 14, 1912 , half an hour before the collapse after a visit to the square was sgomerata . Around 10 am the bell tower collapse on itself causing no deaths or injuries , nor daeggiando seriously valuable buildings around (if not the adjacent library Sansovino ) .
As if " el Paron de casa " expected that the square was cleared to do no harm to its citizens. But the extraordinary facts are not limited to this, the statue of the Archangel Gabriel slid in front of the main door of the basilica reporting only minor damage , in a position that looked like that of a person who prayed to thank for the narrow escape . Another surprising fact is that the debris was found a glass of Murano perfectly intact.
The debris did not damage the basilica of San Marco also because this was defended by the " stone of the call " from which were read at the time of the Republic laws and senteze of death.
