The Sansovino loggetta is a small building, designed as a triumphal arch to accommodate the patricians about to access the government headquarters located in San Marco and is located at the base of the bell tower of San Marco in Venice.
The loggia was built to a design by Jacopo Sansovino between 1537 and
1549 to replace a previous building, probably from the 14th century. The
prospectus is characterized by three arches between the columns of
which, in four niches, are placed the bronze statues of Minerva,
Mercury, Apollo and Peace, by Sansovino. Above the arches are three
marble reliefs: the island of Candia, Venice in the form of justice and
the island of Cyprus by collaborators. The decoration of the friezes and
their arrangement alludes to the life of the city and its territories:
Venus who was born on the island of Cyprus, Jupiter protector of the
island of Crete and Minerva with the lions representing the territories
of the sea (state de mar) and of the mainland (state de tera).
From 1569 it became the guard post of the arsenalotti during the
sessions of the Great Council.
In 1663 the terrace with the
marble balustrade was added and in the same period the side arches were
modified, transforming them into doors.
The bronze gate that
closes the balustrade, the work of Antonio Gai, dates back to 1737.
Following the collapse of the bell tower in 1902, the loggia was
completely destroyed and was rebuilt in 1912 using the original material
as much as possible. On the occasion of this reconstruction, the side
facades, previously in brick, were also covered with marble.