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A 2 euro commemorative coin of the Italian Republic, issued in 2017 in a circulation of 3,000,000 copies. Dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the completion of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. The author of the design is Claudia Momoni. Bimetallic, diameter 25.75 mm, weight 8.5 g. Minted at IPZS in Rome.
Obverse
The coin depicts the facade of St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) in Venice with detailed architectural elements: domes, mosaics, a characteristic loggia with the quadriga of St. Mark (four bronze horses that adorn the cathedral). Around the facade are the inscriptions: "BASILICA DI SAN MARCO VENEZIA" (Basilica of St. Mark, Venice). Also on the coin's field is the monogram "RI" (Repubblica Italiana), the mint mark "R" (Rome) and the dates "1617-2017". On the outer ring are the 12 five-pointed stars of the EU.
Reverse
The reverse is the common side of the 2 euro coins of the second type, designed by Luc Luix (Royal Belgian Mint). It depicts a map of Europe as a single continent without internal borders - a symbol of European unity. On the left is a large denomination "2" and the inscription "EURO", on the right is a map with six thin horizontal lines in the background. On the outer ring are the 12 stars of the European Union. The band is finely fluted and has the inscription "2 ★", repeated six times alternately upright and inverted.
Historical context
St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco) is the main cathedral of Venice, one of the most important monuments of Byzantine-medieval architecture in the world. The first church on this site was built in 828-832 to house the relics of the Apostle Mark, which were brought from Alexandria by Venetian merchants. After a fire in 976, the church was rebuilt; the current basilica was begun in 1063 and consecrated in 1094 in the Romanesque-Byzantine style with five domes modeled on the Apostolic Church in Constantinople. Over the centuries, the cathedral was enriched with mosaics (over 8,000 m² in total), marble, sculptures and treasures brought from all over the Mediterranean, especially after the Fourth Crusade in 1204. The "400th anniversary", celebrated in 2017, refers to the completion of a significant stage of reconstruction and a new architectural addition to the cathedral in 1617. The cathedral is adorned with the famous quadriga - bronze horses of Roman or Greek work.