The theme for this week's photohunt is four.
Browsing through my photos, a photo of San Marco's Basilica in Venice caught my attention.
The four bronze horses on the facade of the cathedral are replicas. San Marco's original horses(date back to the fourth century) are on display inside the basilica. Although the origin of San Marco's horses is unknown,it is believed that the horses, along with the quadriga (a four-horse carriage used for chariot racing) they were depicted with were long displayed at the Hippodrome of Constantinople. They were still there in 1204, when they were looted by Venetian forces as part of the sack of the capital of the Byzantine Empire in the Fourth Crusade. What happened to the quadriga after the Fourth Crusade is unknown. Doge Enrico Dandolo sent the horses to Venice, where they were installed on the terrace of the facade of San Marco's Basilica in 1254.In 1797, Napoleon had the horses forcibly removed from the basilica and carried off to Paris, where they were used in the design of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel together with a quadriga, however in 1815 the horses were returned to venice. They remained in place over the basilica until the early 1980s, when the ongoing damage from growing air pollution forced their replacement with an exact replica. Since then, the originals have been on display just inside the basilica.
Resource: Wikipedia.
Comments (16)
Great choice! Interesting to read on the history of the four horses. My take on the theme also takes me to Venice.
Posted by Maria I. | March 13, 2009 12:34 PM
Posted on March 13, 2009 12:34
Excellent take on the theme! I have photos of those four horses too and it never crossed my mind to use them, LOL.
Happy weekend!
Posted by Annie | March 13, 2009 12:35 PM
Posted on March 13, 2009 12:35
A great choice, Candi. I really love the four bronze horses of San Marco!
Posted by sandrac | March 13, 2009 1:33 PM
Posted on March 13, 2009 13:33
Oh my - I particularly like your PhotoHunt choice this week. :)
Posted by Leslie | March 14, 2009 12:38 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 00:38
Thanks for drawing my attention to the four horses. Think I would have missed seeing them amidst the ornateness of it all otherwise! :b
Posted by YTSL | March 14, 2009 2:56 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 02:56
Nice to read about the 4 bronze horses and it's story :)
Happy weekend!
Posted by napaboaniya | March 14, 2009 3:18 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 03:18
Lovley shot for this weeks theme Candi! :)
Thank you for your kind words on my site!
Have a great weekend! :)
Posted by Anna | March 14, 2009 5:02 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 05:02
Beautiful shot and an interesting take on the theme. Great post!
Posted by Carver | March 14, 2009 7:39 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 07:39
Cool shot! Love the sharp shadows. Makes the horses seem all the more real.
Posted by Deborah | March 14, 2009 8:00 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 08:00
That's beautiful! I want to go to Venice!
Posted by liz | March 14, 2009 11:51 AM
Posted on March 14, 2009 11:51
Great photo. Love the horses :)
Posted by Flo | March 14, 2009 2:00 PM
Posted on March 14, 2009 14:00
Subtle. I'm not sure I would have noticed the horse. Nice history lesson too.
Posted by Alice Audrey | March 14, 2009 2:20 PM
Posted on March 14, 2009 14:20
What a beautiful shot for 'four'. When we were in Venice I really enjoyed climbing up the stairs to the arcade and standing there beside the horses - they really are magnificient.
Posted by Jerry | March 14, 2009 3:35 PM
Posted on March 14, 2009 15:35
Great shot and perfect for this week's theme. I love the story of the horses. Isn't Venice wonderful?
Posted by marta | March 14, 2009 4:04 PM
Posted on March 14, 2009 16:04
Great choice for this week's PhotoHunt post. I didn't realize that the real horses were outside until the early 1980's. I thought they were removed much earlier. I love going up to the balcony and seeing the horses up close (even if they are not the originals).
Posted by girasoli | March 14, 2009 5:35 PM
Posted on March 14, 2009 17:35
Hi Candi, very cool photo of the four horses and great for this week's theme of four. Great angle. I love Venice too and enjoyed reading about the history of the four horses.
Thanks for sharing Candi!
Posted by Kathy (Trekcapri) | March 17, 2009 7:53 PM
Posted on March 17, 2009 19:53