St. Mark's Basilica prepares to welcome a new large organ, a project that represents not only an instrumental renovation, but a significant milestone in a musical history spanning more than seven centuries. Since its inception, music has played a central role in the liturgical and cultural life of the Basilica, making it one of the most influential places in Europe for the development of the Western musical tradition. The new instrument will consist of approximately 4.600 pipes, divided into four sections located at strategic points within the Basilica: the main organ will be located in the Cornu Evangelii choir, a solo section will be installed in the Cornu Epistolae choir, while two additional sections will be placed in the transept wings. This arrangement will allow for a true spatialization of sound, creating an immersive and evocative acoustic experience, in harmony with the architecture and acoustics of San Marco. The project also includes the reconstruction and restoration of one of the two historic organs built by Gaetano Callido in 1766, with the aim of recovering the traditional “two-organ” performance practice, characteristic of the great Venetian musical tradition.
Construction and financing
The construction of the organ has been entrusted to two prestigious organ-building firms: Johannes Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany, and Francesco Zanin Organi of Codroipo (Udine, Italy). The project, entirely funded by the Procuratoria di San Marco with an investment of 3 million euros, will be completed by 2028.
The Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, he pointed outThe Basilica, known throughout the world as a place of art for its mosaics and precious treasures, is above all the place where the Christian community meets and prays. Therefore, sacred music is intended, for Christians and the Christian community, to give glory to God, and music is all the more holy the more closely it unites and expresses the mystery contained in the liturgy of musical instruments for liturgical music.. The first prosecutor, Bruno Barel, he defined the project as “This is a project of great cultural, musical, and liturgical significance, conceived with respect for the Basilica's centuries-old history and its unique and complex liturgical needs. The project also marks a moment of exceptional importance in the Italian and international musical and artistic landscape. With this project, Venice is not simply restoring an instrument: it is preparing to celebrate its musical identity, reaffirming the role of San Marco as a place where art, faith, and sound continue to dialogue between past and future. A project that looks to the city's historical roots, but projects its voice toward future generations.
The Voice of St. Mark: Seven Centuries of Music and the New Organ
The first documented traces of the presence of organs in San Marco date back to June 8, 1316, when a certain Maestro Zucchetto received compensation for repairing the Basilica's organs. This episode demonstrates how, even in the Middle Ages, San Marco was equipped with important musical instruments and a permanent structure dedicated to sacred music. With the Renaissance, the Basilica became a true musical laboratory. The appointment of Pietro de Fossis as Maestro di Cappella in 1491 marked the beginning of a period of great renewal, which reached an extraordinary level with Adriano Willaert starting in 1527. It was he who systematically developed the practice of "cori spezzati," exploiting the architecture and unique acoustics of San Marco to create spatial sound effects and dialogues between musical groups positioned in different parts of the church. This tradition reached its peak in the Baroque period with Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, who expanded the use of polychorality and integrated instruments into liturgical music, and with Claudio Monteverdi, Maestro di Cappella from 1613, whose work profoundly influenced European sacred music. Testifying to this rich musical activity, numerous manuscripts and choral books from the 17th and 18th centuries are today preserved in the Patriarchal Archives of Venice.
The history of the remains of St. Mark: from Alexandria to the Basilica of Venice
Saint Mark was martyred in Alexandria, Egypt, in 68 AD, where he was buried, and his tomb soon became a place of devotion for local Christians. In 828, two Venetian merchants, Buono da Malamocco and Rustico da Torcello, stole the saint's remains from Egypt and brought them to Venice. To evade Muslim authorities, they hid the relics under loads of pork, considered impure, thus managing to smuggle them into the city without inspection. The arrival of the relics was greeted with great enthusiasm, and Doge Giustiniano Partecipazio soon thereafter ordered the construction of a church to house them, giving rise to the first Basilica of Saint Mark. The date of their arrival, January 31, became one of the main Venetian holidays, celebrated with processions and solemn ceremonies. During the reconstruction of the Basilica in 1094, the relics were temporarily lost. Legend has it that, during a solemn ceremony, a column in the nave miraculously opened, revealing the place where they had been hidden, accompanied by a sweet scent, a sign of the divine presence. Today, the relics of Saint Mark are still kept in the Basilica dedicated to him, a religious and cultural symbol of Venice. Their history testifies to the city's importance as a crossroads of faith, art, and musical and spiritual tradition.
