St. Mark's in Venice, Italy consists of two magnificent structures: The Basilica and its sidekick, the Campanile. The Basilica is renowned for its medieval mosaics, its exquisite golden alter screens embellished with precious gems, and its gilded facade (see photo). A lavish amount of decorative gold was used on both the building's interior and exterior surfaces. This has earned St. Mark's Basilica its "Church of Gold" nickname. The present day church is the third to be erected on the plot. The original St. Mark's, a modest edifice, was built to house the stolen remains of the eponymous St. Mark.