The Legend of the Fisherman was part of the national narrative of the Venetian Republic, but it is now largely forgotten.
“Paglia (Ponte della)” from Curiosità Veneziane by Giuseppe Tassini
San Marco, or St Mark, is the patron saint of Venice since 828, and the Feast of St Mark on April 25th is an important day in Venice.
There are statues, reliefs and paintings of a winged lion all over Venice. The lion is the symbol of the Evangelist St. Mark