The bell tower of St. Mark is one of the most important symbols of the city of Venice and among Italy’s most important monuments, rising up over St. Mark’s Square opposite the basilica of the same name.
Built at the beginning of the 9th Century as a warning tower and lighthouse, it has been damaged, consolidated and rebuilt many times over the centuries.
In 1962, a lift was installed in the shaft of the bell tower to allow visitors to admire views of Venice from above in the top of the bell section.
At the end of the 1990s, in a project curated by architect Ettore Vio and largely carried out by Astec, the lift entry and exit points, and the newsstand at the entrance were renovated with passivated steel structures and burnished copper alloy cladding made by Astec.
This iconic bell tower renovation is an example of how architectural bronze building materials made by Astec integrate beautifully in historic buildings.