From dawn to dusk, the golden mosaics on the façade of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice shimmer and shine to differing degrees. The constantly shifting sunlight seems to bring endless dramatic effects to the mosaic pictures that depict mainly religious life. The mosaics were first created in 1071, and developed over eight centuries to cover around 9,500 square yards of the basilica, inside and out, reflecting a mixture of Italian and the original Byzantine designs. Besides the mosaics, gold decorations dominate the basilica, so much so that from the 11th century on, it was known as the “Chiesa d’Oro” or “Church of Gold.”  The Architecture St Mark’s Basilica was consecrated in 832. Late in the 10th century, the church was damaged by fire. Construction of the current basilica began in 1063, and the resulting Greek-Byzantine building is thought to have been influenced by the former Church of Hagia Sophia (now a mosque) in Istanbul, then known as …