| Description : The coin, designed by Luciana De Simoni, shows the Basilica
di San Marco, the central state sanctuary of the Republic of Venice and the Church of St Mark the Evangelist, the core of
which was built in the 11th century and contains the largest mosaic cycle in the West. The west facade shown here is
regarded as a symbol of the triumph over Constantinople in the Crusade of 1203/1204. In the second half of the 14th century,
a phase of construction and decoration began which transformed the building in the spirit of Venetian Gothic. On the five
arched spires of the west facade are the patron saints of Venice, (from left to right) Constantine, Demetrius, Mark, George and
Theodore, as well as sculptures of the archangel Gabriel, the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Mary in the six
tabernacles. In the pediment of the central arch is a golden relief of the striding lion of St Mark with a book, the
inscription of which reads "Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus" (Peace with you Mark, my Evangelist). The centre of the gallery on
the upper floor bears replicas of the four horses of San Marco. Their originals, made of gilded cast copper and exhibited in
the Museo Marciano since 1979, were originally parts of a quadriga on Emperor Nero's triumphal arch in Rome, which the Eastern
Roman Emperor Theodosius II had taken to Constantinople, from where they were brought to Venice as war booty on the orders
of Doge Enrico Dandolo. In 1987, Venice and its lagoon were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the bottom is "SAN MARCO"
and above it the ligature of the country name "RI" (Repubblica Italiana, Italian Republic), flanked on the left by "1617" the
year of completion, and on the right by the year of issue "2017". At the top is "VENEZIA" (Venice) and below it the "R" the
mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato in Rome. The signet "LDS" of the medallist
appears at the bottom right. |
