After the Fourth Crusade, the Venetians added their interpretations of Islamic architectural elements to the exterior of San Marco to visually represent their economic relations with the Middle East.  It is important to note here that the Venetians did not find the placement of Islamic architectural emulations on San Marco sacrilegious because of San Marco’s function as the Ducal chapel and its proximity to other civic buildings.   The Islamic architectural and ornamental additions were not spolia taken directly from the source, but rather Venetian emulations and interpretations of architecture and ornamental details seen by Venetian merchants in the Middle East.  These Islamic elements represented the successful mercantile relations of Venice with the Islamic World, and symbolized the economic power of Venice in the Levantine regions.

The Islamic elements that will be examined are the Domes, the ogee arches above the Porta Dei Fiori, the window to the Capella Zen and the Porta San Alippio, and finally the stone grates, located above the Porta San’ Alippio.