Walking through the maze of Venetian narrow alleys is a fascinating experience if you want to find out "secret" places, far away from the most common touristy tracks. The "hidden" church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli is one of the finest jewels of Renaissance architecture in Venice, with its precious decoration in polychrome marbles. Just a few steps away is the huge church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. The stern interior preserves the funeral monuments of men that were "legends" of Venetian history. During the Republic the solemn funeral ceremonies of all state authorities were celebrated here. The imposing mass of the basilica overlooks the so called "square of wonders", this due to the beautiful monuments such as the Scuola di San Marco and the Equestrian Monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni. Passing by the Arsenal one can still sense the military and maritime muscle that made Venice a great power.