Marco Polo was buried in this large church after his death in 1324. Although the exact location of his tomb is unknown today due to renovations and a fire in the 16th century, the church remains an important place to honour his memory. The Gothic architecture and art of the Basilica is a testament to the prosperity of the period, in part fuelled by Polo’s contributions to trade and exploration in Venice.
A recent discovery by Ca’ Foscari University scholars has revealed the close and unprecedented relationship between Marco Polo and the Dominicans of Saints John and Paul, who allegedly translated (from the vernacular to Latin) ‘Il Milione’ for him, to facilitate its dissemination and make it a sort of ‘tourist guide to the Orient’.
