The Pala d'Oro of San Marco is an incredibly beautiful and dazzling altarpiece located in the Basilica of San Marco in Venice. This masterpiece of Byzantine art is made of gold, silver, enamel, and precious stones, and is considered one of the most important treasures of medieval goldsmithing.
The Pala d'Oro of San Marco, behind the high altar, is a unique masterpiece in its genre. Made in Byzantium in the 10th-12th centuries for Venice, it is a considerable-sized Gothic goldsmith work that has remained intact.
The lower panel represents the Pantocrator, evangelists, prophets, apostles, and angels. The golden silver Gothic cornice, from the 14th century, is embedded with pearls and precious stones. As the custodian of the relics of San Marco, the Pala d'Oro celebrates the genius of Byzantium and the cult of light.
The Pala d'Oro consists of two parts: the actual Pala and the wooden container. In the center stands the figure of Christ blessing, surrounded by the Evangelists with the sacred book in gems. Below is the Virgin Mary praying, Doge Ordelaffo Falier, and Empress Irene. Also depicted are the etimasia, the Crucifixion, and Byzantine liturgical events.
The history of its creation is divided into three phases: the lower part corresponds to Doge Ordelaffo Falier, the upper part could have come from Constantinople after 1204, and between 1343 and 1345, Doge Dandolo commissioned goldsmiths to frame it with Romanesque and Gothic arches, embellishing it with precious stones.
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