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There should have been three stone columns flanking the large Venice Piazza. Instead, there are only two.
The main entrance to St. Mark's Square is flanked by two stone columns. They are among the first sites tourists witness as they approach Venetian Lagoon, which is located off the Adriatic Sea. One depicts St. Mark's emblem, a winged lion. The other has a statue of Saint Theodore, who was originally venerated in Venice, standing over a dead crocodile. Midway through the 13th century, when the water was much closer to the plaza, the columns were built. In the space between them, in front of the lagoon, gambling was permitted, as well as public hangings. Now that the area is crowded with tourists, they are probably oblivious of one error: there ought to be three columns.
