Starting in the 12th century, the Venetians engaged in a series of wars with the declining Byzantine Empire. They played a leading role in the ill-fated Fourth Crusade, which saw crusaders sack the Byzantine capital Constantinople when they were supposedly en route to the Holy Land.

The army returned home with many riches, including the gilt bronze horses still seen today inside St Mark's Basilica. The basilica itself was originally built to house the stolen remains of Saint Mark, which Venetian merchants reportedly brought back from Alexandria in AD 828 by smuggling the bones in layers of pork fat.

The current church was built in the 11th century, replacing one damaged by fire in AD 976.

The fascinating history of Venice, all you need to know