Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square), is the principal public square of Venice, Italy, where it is generally known just as "the Piazza". All other urban spaces in the city (except the Piazzetta and the Piazzale Roma) are called "campi" (fields). The Piazzetta (the 'little Piazza') is an extension of the Piazza towards the lagoon in its south east corner. The two spaces together form the social, religious and political centre of Venice and are commonly considered together.

Napoleon is said to have called the Piazza San Marco "the drawing room of Europe". It is one of the few great urban spaces in Europe where human voices prevail over the sounds of motorized traffic.