St Mark's Clock Tower Monument

The Clock Tower, gateway to the Mercerie

The Clock Tower marks the northern entrance to the Piazza San Marco, exactly where the Mercerie begin, the historic main shopping street linking the square to the Rialto Bridge. Built at the end of the 15th century, it forms both a monumental gate and a link between Venice's political and religious centre and one of its main commercial districts. Its façade combines the great blue-and-gold clock face, the Virgin and Child, and St Mark's winged lion.

The tower, generally attributed to the architect Mauro Codussi although this attribution is not entirely certain, was built between 1496 and 1498 and inaugurated with its clock on 1 February 1499. The two side wings were completed in 1506, then raised in 1755-1757 by Giorgio Massari, giving the ensemble much of its present silhouette.

The clock was commissioned from the mechanics Gian Paolo and Gian Carlo Rainieri of Reggio Emilia. Its spectacular astronomical dial, about 4.5 metres across, shows the time, the phases of the Moon and the Sun's position in the zodiac, along with the months and days. The mechanism seen today is, however, simpler than the one from 1499: the original clock also displayed the movement of the five planets then known, according to Ptolemy's geocentric system. A major overhaul carried out by Bartolomeo Ferracina in the 18th century gave it much of its current workings.

The tower can only be visited by prior booking, with a specialist guide. The tour climbs through the tower's five levels via sometimes narrow, steep staircases, passes close to the mechanism, weights, gears and drums displaying the hours and minutes, and then reaches the terraces. The upper terrace offers a close-up view of the Mori, the Piazza San Marco, the rooftops of Venice and the lagoon: a very different way of gaining height compared with the campanile.

A Clock Tower ticket also gives free access to the Correr Museum, the National Archaeological Museum and the monumental halls of the Biblioteca Marciana. Access to the tower is permitted from age 6; because of the stairs and the tight interior spaces, it is worth checking accessibility conditions before booking.

Sources and further information

Torre dell'Orologio - MUVE; MUVE - history of the tower; MUVE - visit route and mechanisms; Torre dell'Orologio - tickets and prices.