St. Mark's Basilic (#2)

As a history buff, the details of places we visit are part of the excitement for me.
The first St. Mark's Basilica was built in the 9th century to house ancient sacred relics - that had been stolen. According to legend they snuck them past the guards by hiding them under layers of pork in barrels! Sounds like the beginnings of smuggling contraband right?!

In 828, merchants from Venice stole the body of St. Mark the Evangelist from Egypt. While at sea a storm almost drowned the graverobbers and so it is believed that the spirit of St. Mark appeared to the captain and told him to lower the sails. The ship was saved and the sailors said it was a miracle they survived. The entire story is told in mosaic in the basilica.

At first glance the walls appear to be covered in murals and paintings but when you look closer you'll see these gorgeous scenes are mosaics where each piece has been hand laid. And not only hand laid but placed strategically at specific angles so that the light catches them and makes a shimmering light appear through the entire basilica.

It is implausible to understand the time, effort and visual brilliance it took to place each small piece.