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The four original bronze horses in St Mark's Museum

St Mark's Museum and the Loggia dei Cavalli terrace

Above the Basilica's atrium is the Museum with the four original bronze horses; from there you step out onto the Loggia, the terrace on the façade overlooking Piazza San Marco. It is the calmest part of the visit, with the best view.

An independent guide, not the official website of the Basilica.

Photo: Mark Landon (2015), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On this page
  1. The bronze horses
  2. The Loggia dei Cavalli: the terrace over the square
  3. The Museum
  4. Tickets
  5. Opening hours
  6. Frequently asked questions

The bronze horses

The four original bronze horses in St Mark's Museum
The four original horses inside the Museum. Photo: Mark Landon (2015), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The four horses stood on the loggia of the Basilica until 1977. After a long restoration, to preserve them, they were moved inside the Museum in 1982; the ones on the loggia today are bronze copies.

They are thought to come from the Hippodrome of Constantinople, sent to Venice by Doge Enrico Dandolo as booty from the Fourth Crusade in 1204.

The Loggia dei Cavalli: the terrace over the square

A replica horse on the Loggia seen from inside the Museum
One of the replica horses, seen from inside the Museum towards the Loggia. Photo: Phinken, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Loggia is the terrace on the façade where the replica horses stand, overlooking Piazza San Marco. You reach it from the Museum; the terrace is included in the same ticket.

  • Children up to 12 always with an adult, and held by the hand on the terraces.
  • Pushchairs only folded on the terraces.
  • High heels are not recommended: the passages are narrow and steep.

The Museum

The Museum, founded at the end of the 19th century, occupies the spaces above the narthex of the Basilica and the Doge's former Banqueting Hall.

There is a lift and a stairlift up to the Museum.

Tickets

TicketWhat it includesPrice
Basilica and MuseumBasilica, St Mark's Museum and the Loggia dei Cavalli€20
Full ticketBasilica, Pala d'Oro, Museum and Loggia dei Cavalli€30
Museum and Loggia dei CavalliSunday mornings only, when the Basilica is closed for Mass€14

Official ticket office prices, checked on 26 October 2026. The Museum-only ticket (€14) is sold only when the Basilica is closed for services, that is on Sunday mornings.

If you only have a Basilica ticket you can add the Museum on site. The full ticket (€30) also includes the Pala d'Oro.

Opening hours

Museum and Loggia dei Cavalli: Daily 9:30am–5:15pm, last entry 4:45pm.

The Museum with the Loggia is open daily from 9:30am to 5:15pm, with last entry at 4:45pm. On Sundays from 9:30am to 2pm it is the only part you can visit, because Mass is being celebrated in the Basilica.

Frequently asked questions

Are the horses on St Mark's façade the originals?

No: the originals have been in the Museum since 1982; the ones on the loggia are bronze copies.

How much is the St Mark's Basilica terrace?

The terrace is visited with the Museum: Basilica and Museum cost €20, the full ticket €30. The Museum alone (€14) can only be bought for Sunday mornings.

Is the Museum open on Sundays?

Yes, from 9:30am; until 2pm it is the only part you can visit.

Is the Museum accessible?

Yes, there is a lift and a stairlift.

Sources

St Mark's Basilica from €17 on Tiqets
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