San Marco Square

Amongst the large number of picturesque campi, Venice has is just one piazza, it is Piazza San Marco, the largest one of the city. From the beginning of the 9^th century it was chosen to be the site for the seat of the Republic Government as well as of the most representative Basilica. The piazza is dedicated to the Saint Patron of the city: Saint Marks whose relic, in the 9th Century, was taken from the Islamic Alexandria of Egypt and transferred in Venice. The 2 Venetian merchants, Buono da Malamocco and Rustico da Torgello, managed to carry the Saint Mark’s remains without being inspected from the Turkish customer because they cleverly covered the relic in a stock of pork meat. The body of the Saint was particularly welcomed in the city because the popular belief assumed that it was thanks to Saint Mark that the inhabitants of Venice and its surroundings were evangelized. At this point it is clear the Serenissima used to celebrate the 25^th April, day of the death of the Patron, before it became the National Holiday of Italian liberation.

Nowadays the anniversary is celebrated, like in the past even with less magnificence, with a procession that takes place in the Piazza. At this event participate inhabitants as well as the major religious and civil authorities. In this day there is also an ancient tradition that follow the formal event : men present a bocciolo, that is a red rosebud, to women they love most.