Columns of San Marco and San Todaro

The Columns of San Marco and San Teodoro are two columns in Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy. They comprise the Column of San Marco, also known as the Column of the Lion, as well as the Column of San Teodoro. The statue of the Lion of Venice, which symbolises Mark the Evangelist, surmounts the Column of the Lion. The Column of San Teodoro is topped by a statue of Theodore Tiron, who was the patron saint of Venice before he was succeeded by Saint Mark. Both columns were likely erected either between 1172 and 1177 by Nicolò Barattieri, or sometime around 1268.