San Marco

Map
Church of San Marco, Rome
San Marco
San Marco Evangelista al Campidoglio, to give the church its full name, was originally built by Pope Mark (r. 336), making it the first place of public Christian worship in the heart of Rome. However, San Marco, which is the national church of Venice, has been subsequently restored and rebuilt on several occasions. The last major reworking was completed by Cardinal Angelo Maria Quirini between 1735 and 1750.
st-mark-the-evangelist-by-isaia-da-pisa-church-of-san-marco-rome
St Mark the Evangelist
The sculpture of St Mark (and lion), above the entrance to the church, is attributed to Isaia da Pisa (active 1447-64). 

​Embedded into the right wall of the portico of the church is the tomb slab of Vannozza Cattanei, mistress of Cardinal Borgia, later Pope Alexander VI (r. 1492-1503), to whom she bore four children, including the infamous Cesare and Lucrezia.  ​
Nave, church of San Marco, Rome
Nave
The beautiful mosaics in the apse were added by Pope Gregory IV (r. 827-44). ​
Apse, church of San Marco, Rome
Apse
The large stucco reliefs (in the nave and sanctuary) depict the twelve apostles and were executed by a variety of artists in the 1740s.

The church of San Marco is home to a fine collection of funerary monuments, most of which date back to the 18th century. ​​
Nave ceiling, church of San Marco, Rome
Nave Ceiling
The nave ceiling (1465-68) bears the coat of arms of Pope Paul II (r. 1464-1471). The work of Giovannino and Marco de' Dolci, it is one of only two 15th century wooden ceilings to survive in a Roman church. The other is at Santa Maria Maggiore. 
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