In Venice, during restoration work on the “masegni,” the distinctive paving made up of stone blocks that characterizes St. Mark’s Square, (Piazza S. Marco) the remains of a sub-structure of a late medieval tower, predating the construction of the Doge’s Palace (Palazzo dei Dogi) that dominates one of the world’s most famous squares, have unexpectedly surfaced.
Archaeologists from the Venice Superintendency were able to ascertain that it is a structure with a quadrangular brick base measuring four meters by 25 on each side, located at the center of the facade of the Doges’ Palace. The foundations of the ancient tower extend about 170 centimeters deep before surfacing on the ancient wooden pile-dwelling structure that supports the entire city of Venice. According to the experts’ hypothesis, this would be the base of a 13th-century tower whose structure was part of the ancient ‘Castrum’ a fortified complex documented in the archival sources reviewed and analyzed for the occasion by archaeologists. This adds some historical significance to the find, further enriching the historical context of the city with new details.
As experts explain, the presence of a tower in this spot is not surprising when considering the strategic and defensive role that Venice played in the Middle Ages as a maritime republic and key city-state for trade and cultural exchange. In this context, towers were in fact key architectural elements in city fortifications, used for defensive purposes, as well as observation and communication points. This finding enriches the history of the square and also offers new opportunities to better understand Venice’s past for scholars and visitors alike.
