The basilica is a conglomeration of style, but mainly Byzantine, which explains why some say it looks like it could have been moved intact from Istanbul. The basilica is capped by a large dome that sends off shoots to 4 smaller-scale bulbed cupolas. Spanning the facade is a loggia surmounted by replicas of the 4 famous St Mark's horses.

Note the two tall Byzantine red columns. One is topped with a statue of Saint Theodore of Amasea treading on the sacred crocodile of Egypt. He was one of the Greek military saints of the 4th century & the earlier patron saint of Venice. The other column is topped with a statue of the winged lion which represents St Mark. At one time, these columns constituted the official gateway to Venice.