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Bell Tower of St. Mark’s Basilica, in Italian it is called the Campanile di San Marco. It was built on the foundations of an ancient Roman lighthouse. The tower had been struck by lightning and caught on fire several times. In 1902, it collapsed completely. No one was killed except for the caretaker’s cat.
Basilica vs Cathedral or Duomo as it is called in Italian, can be the same thing, like St. Mark’s. A basilica is designated by the Pope as a special church, because it has historical, architectural, or spiritual significance. A cathedral is the location of the bishop’s throne, called a cathedra. A cathedral can also be a basilica, but a basilica is not necessarily a cathedral.
The Bridge of Sighs, in Italian it is called Ponte dei Sospiri. The bridge got its name from prisoners who sighed as they took their last look at the beautiful city of Venice on their way to be imprisoned. The bridge joins the Doge’s Palace to the prison.
