At the base of the Campanile tower facing the western façade of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, is a small building from 1549 called Loggetta. On its bronze gate is the winged Lion of Venice holding a gospel of St. Mark in his paw. This symbol of the city is also found on the top of two large columns in the Piazza San Marco. On the left is the female representation of Venice, the City of Canals. The nickname for St. Mark’s, a Roman Catholic cathedral, is Chiesa d’Oro or the Church of Gold.
