Pala d'Oro
Of the crown jewels of St. Mark’s Basilica, the most treasured one is Pala d’Oro. Measuring 3.45 meters in length and 1.4 meters in height, this Byzantine altarpiece is a panel of gold embedded with hundreds of gems which include 1,300 pearls, 300 emeralds, 300 sapphires, 400 garnets, 100 amethysts, along with rubies and topazes. The conniving Napoleon stole a few in 1797 but lessons were learnt and currently, these precious gems are guarded by a protective glass. Crafted by goldsmiths from Venice and Constantinople, this altar is framed in a Romanesque arch at the top and a lower Gothic arch.