Piazza San Marco is in the heart of Venice. It is 590 ft (180 m) long and 230 ft (70 m) wide, and is the only “piazza” in Venice, since the rest of the squares are called “piazzales” or “campos”.

It was established during the ninth century, but adopted its current size and form in 1177, and was paved one hundred years later.

The Piazza San Marco is one of the most beautiful in the world. Napoleon called it “the world’s most beautiful drawing room”.

It is the lowest point in Venice; therefore, when there is Acqua Alta, it is the first place to be flooded. When this happens, the authorities place wooden footbridges for the locals and tourists. Several times a year, the square is completely flooded, so depending on whether you want to experience the Acqua Alta, you might be lucky or not, depending on when you visit the city.

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