Sculpted frieze of putti above the first floor Ionic arcade of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, or National Library of St Mark's, built in Renaissance style in 1537-53 by Jacopo Sansovino, then extended by Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1588, on the Piazzetta San Marco, between the Piazza San Marco and the Venetian lagoon, Venice, Italy. The columns are topped with Ionic capitals and the spandrel figures are angels in classical or all'antica style, and above, puttis hold decorative garlands, with classical masks. The 2-storey building is lined with a Doric arcade on the ground floor and Ionic arcade on the first floor, with sculptural decoration and a line of rooftop statues. The library houses an important collection of classical, Oriental and medieval codices and manuscripts. The historical centre of Venice is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Picture by Manuel Cohen
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