This extraordinary architectural ensemble - the gold and Flamboyant Gothic porticoes of St Mark's Basilica, the elegant bell tower, the Doge's Palace with its delicately carved pink marble, the Procuratie's long line of colonnades - is the very embodiment of Venice. Full of grace and beauty, the square is teeming with pigeons and busy with tourists, apart from first thing in the morning when the light is magnificent.