However, I hope this guide has provided you with a starting point by showcasing 14 of the very best churches in Venice. The church's interior is full of stunning works of art, including the Pala d'Oro and the four bronze horses that sit above its main entrance. An overview of the best churches in Venice Italy: There are many churches that Venice is famous for, such as the Basilica di San Marco in the San Marco district, the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in the district of San Polo and the Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore on the island of San Giorgio di Maggiore. He then gave it to the church, and in 313 the church hosted a council of bishops who met to declare the Donatist sect as heretics. He won a competition to build the church in thanksgiving for Venices deliverance from the plague. St. Mark's was primarily built to house the relics of the evangelist Saint Mark. The Venetian-style church also has several painted panels that you can admire. But you wont want to skip out on this church, step inside to gaze at the beautifully painted ceiling. The octagonal domed baptistery is covered in eye-catching green and white marble, and its interior is studded with breathtaking mosaics. They had the church built in 1250. This distinctive church is one of the earliest buildings from the Renaissance in Venice, and was built in the mid-15th century. Famous cathedrals and holy places to visit in Italy | ItaliaRail It is a towering brick facade with no decoration. The church is also home to the original depiction of Madonna della Strada (Our Lady of the Way), the patroness of the Jesuits. This is one of the few Venice churches built completely in the same style. Now that youre prepped, come along to discover our favorite churches in Venice! Lorenzo Lotto's "Elemosina di Sant'Antonio" and the famous "Verrocchio horseback" dedicated to Bartolomeo Colleoni are particularly noteworthy, with the horse standing on only three legs, which was the most innovative of its time. 10 Most Famous Churches In The World The church is located only a few meters away from the Rialto Bridge, in the San Polo district ( sestiere ). In 1331 an institution was created to supervise the works, and in 1334 painter and architect Giotto was appointed as master builder, assisted by architect Andrea Pisano. Tip: Try to catch a sunrise on Salute, especially in the winter months, when it looks breathtaking. The Most Beautiful Churches in Italy Over the centuries, the building was pillaged and damaged, losing its gilded bronze roof tiles when the Byzantine emperor Constans II Pogonatus looted it in 663. Primarily, he wished to use it to establish himself as sovereign. The Canali, Campi, Calli (canals, squares, back streets) (Jacob Field). Its tall slender campanile is the tallest in the vicinity, and its built in the shape of a Greek cross. There are no great works of art inside. In the adjoining Piccolomini Library are vividly colored 16th-century frescoes by noted Umbrian artist Pinturicchio. Top photo copyright Jaime Tautiva.2nd inset photo copyright Luke Daniek. Venetians call it San Zanipolo while the rest of the world sees it as an incredible work of art. Among those, stand out the paintings "Adoration of the golden calf" and "The Last Judgement", both by Tintoretto (who lived nearby and here is buried). It also boasts impressive early medieval mosaics in the presbytery and in the apse, where the figure of SantApollinare is set out on a mosaic depicting a delicate green meadow. In front of the church, the light-colored details against the orange-red brick will get your attention. In popular usage, these subsequent dedications have overtaken the original, though the church remains dedicated to Christ, like all patriarchal cathedrals. Stay up to date with travel tips, local insights and all things Italy on our social channels! Originally, the patron saint of Venice was St. Theodorea Greek saint. Top 11 free sights > Churches. This former brotherhood has a beautiful room with paintings on the walls and exhibitions of old books. Consecrated in 1093, it's one of the world's most famous churches. You might hear this church referred to in a few different ways: while its official name is Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari it is often simply called Basilica dei Frari. The most interesting feature of this church is the display of art works. Santa Maria is a basilicaan ancient architectural form that the Romans had used for public buildings and that the early Christians adapted for their churches. For more info, see the Disclosure Policy. Even today, on November 21 of each year, a major procession is held to give thanks for the end of the plague. A pontoon bridge is laid across the Canale della Giudecca, and a huge firework display takes place. The shroud passed into the hands of the house of Savoy, the rulers of Turin, in 1453. The fascinating history of the citys art guilds comes to life in Venetian churches such as Saint Marks Basilica. Francis was so popular that he was canonized just two years after his death, before he had even received his official funeral. A chronicle of the Benedictine monastery attached to the church mentions that, during the rebuilding, a large marble sarcophagus was found with the words Paolo Apostolo Mart(yri) (To Paul the Apostle and Martyr) on the top. When King William began construction of the cathedral, he had a number of objectives. The quickest route on foot from there is via Calle del Vin, heading towards Ruga Giuffa. Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. It stands prominently on a narrow strip of land, overlooking the Grand Canal. Unlike the cathedrals of Florence and Milan, which at the end of the 13th century still stood open to the sky, St. Marks had been structurally complete for many years. You could easily visit Torcello together with Burano in a day. On April 12, 1989, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. The Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV in 609, and it became the Christian church of Santa Maria ad Martyres. At that time, Ravenna was the capital town of the peninsula and therefore one of the main cities of Italy. Highlights: The faade and view across the Canale della Giudecca. Copyright 2023 Lets Travel More. In the square in front of the church called Camp Santi Giovanni e Paolo is a large bronze statue of a horse and rider. My first memory of seeing St Marks domes was that this could almost be India. However, it was also the first major Renaissance building in the city. His brother and coruler Lorenzo the Magnificent was also stabbed but escaped and later had the archbishop hanged. Its a place that will capture your soul and take you into another realm. The doge ordered the construction of a church to house the saintly remains, which were placed in a temporary shrine within the Doges Palace. At This is where the remains of this Italian painter, who actually had the name Jacopo Robusti, are also buried. Manage Settings His innovative design was self-supporting, requiring no scaffolding. The city's best buildings are not just beautiful churches and palazzos, though there are . Piazza San Marco 2. Today Torcello is, literally, in a backwater, but among its lonely marshlands it is still possible to catch a sense of the watery isolation out of which the city of Venice grew. All rights reserved. The following day the third Sunday in July a huge procession crosses the canal on the bridge. Indeed, it is regarded by Roman Catholics as the mother church of the entire world. The front of the church is modelled on a Classical temple faade, and the interior is light and airy. It was one of the last works of the great architect Andrea Palladio, and one of the best-known things to see in Venice. Since 1997, we've helped 30+ Pope Nicholas V ordered the reconstruction of the dilapidated church in the 15th century, but work began in earnest in 1506 when Pope Julius II commissioned architect Donato Bramante to design a new basilica. gift to God and the Virgin Mary for allowing the plague to kill only a third of This remote island to the north of Burano was a busy small city with its own cathedral, and around the turn of the first millennium was more prominent than what was to become Venice, to the south. San Pietro Martire (inset photo) free of charge, but there's a small admission The Franciscans built the Basilica of the Holy Cross (Basilica di Santa Croce) on the site of an earlier churchone that had supposedly been founded by St. Francis of Assisi himself. Venice may be best known for its canals, but there are plenty of marvels to see on dry land - as you'd expect from the city that's home to the world's most famous architecture biennial. The monastery and the church were most likely founded in the 9th century. fee at the more interesting Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato. Remember that in Italy, many churches require you to dress appropriately. (Monica Corteletti). Unfortunately, unlike most of the beautiful churches and cathedrals of Venice, this one is VERY well known and always crowded. Believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ, it bears the ghostly outline of the back and front of a man. Getting there: The nearest vaporetto stop is San Toma, on the Grand Canal. When it was built, the church stood close to the sea, at the Roman harbour of Classe. Venice is a city with many beautiful churches, up to 250 of them. Its exterior is completely covered in several types of marble, as is most of the interior. Venice brought back many influences from the Near East, and nowhere is this more in evidence than St Marks. Highlights: Tintorettos The Last Judgment. rights reserved. Architect Carlo Maderno succeeded Michelangelo in masterminding the job and altered the original plan to resemble a Latin cross by extending the nave toward the piazza. Keep looking around and you will see even more works by Tintoretto, Van Dyck, and other great artists of the time. Tip: Have some foam earplugs handy if youre heading up the Campanile. Get curated Italy travel tips delivered to your inbox! You can also be sure these buildings will have a central nave with two adjacent halls lined with smaller chapels. Built by the Dominicans from 1246 to 1430, the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo has always been of great importance to the city Venice, so that from the middle of 15th century it became the burial place of Doges and Nobles. Piazza San Marco 328, 30124 Venice Italy. Tip: The best shots of the Redentore are from the water or across the Canal. If you happen to be in town or nearby, the Festa is one of the best things to do in Venice. (Robin Elam Musumeci). Look out over the square and see the church in all its glory. If the latter is Tintorettos church, you could make a case for the Frari being Titians. Torcello gives a real taste of Venice off the beaten path, yet this is where the remarkable story of Venice began. Hi, I'm David, a Welsh photographer, writer, and historian who loves to explore Europe. The Doge understood that the relics of such an important saint would bring streams of pilgrims, which in turn brought money. An aging Michelangelo took over the project in 1547 and designed the 390-foot- (119-metre-) high dome above the high altar that was constructed directly above St. Peters tomb. Many of these are among the top Venice attractions, while others are true Venice hidden gems. Basilica di San Marco (Venice) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go Famous Churches in Italy. Giorgione, La Tempesta (around 1505) This work is not only one of the world's first landscapes; it is also the most . One of the top artworks in the church is SS Vincent Ferrer, Christopher, and Sebastian, by Giovanni Bellini. The intricacy of the craftsmanship and the expense of the materials used in the cathedral offer a sense of the personal style and taste of the Norman kings who once held sway in Sicily. The apse mosaic dates from this period, though the figure of the Virgin Mary was re-worked a century later. Tip: Much of Cannaregio is still undiscovered Venice and you can explore this area in peace, far from the crowds, even in summer. The replacement doors, which have since been repositioned as the south doors, are fine examples of Gothic craftsmanship. It built to house a painting of the Virgin Mary reputed to have miraculous properties, including the power of healing. Estelita Scott Formosa means beautiful, and this elegant white church in the middle of Castello sestiere is beautifully proportioned. Inside the church, you'll find the beautiful Cappella del Crocifisso by Michelozzo (1448) and the crypt decorated with frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi. It reflected the new trends in the built structure of the church and housed the most well-known order of this new brand of Catholicism, the Jesuits, who grew to be the largest order of the church. Located on the Piazza della Rotonda, the Pantheon is remarkable for its dome, which is considered to be one of the greatest feats of Roman architecturenot least because it is still intact after two millennia, despite the building having been erected on marshy ground. Many of these are among the top Venice attractions, while others are true Venice hidden gems. Torcello, Lido). Maria della Salute (shown above and at right), which is near the mouth of the From right to left: the hospital, the church and the monument of Verrocchio on Campo dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Due to secularization under the Napoleonic domination, the monastery was converted into a barracks, and today is the seat of the Carabinieri. It was built in the 11th century and is one of the oldest churches in Venice. Carmelo--are also free. Ghiberti spent most of the rest of his life completing the new east doors. Down in the crypt, eight doges lie in eternal rest, albeit often covered in slightly pungent stagnant water from the lagoon. But what draws visitors in droves are the frescoes of the High Renaissance genius Michelangelo. Looking at the outside you probably won't decide to enter, but that's a mistake. Turin Cathedral, constructed in the 15th century, is most famous today for being the home of the Shroud of Turin. Basilica di San Marco 3. It boasts 135 marble spires,. The name is a Venetian corruption of Saints Gervais and Protais, brothers and early Christian martyrs. All Rights Reserved. San Marco is the epicentre of Venice. But don't forget to take a good look at the outside too, because the decorations here are also special. The 10 Most Beautiful Venetian Churches These were built to placate local Nicolotti and Castellani faction loyalists. The painting proved controversial at the time for its inclusion of naked male bodies, depicted complete with genitalia. Its the church of the Franciscan friars, and much of it was built. Ten essential artworks to see in Venice But how do they get these names and what sets them apart? We couldnt forget the incredible St. Marks Basilica, the star of Venice. As such, there is no narthex (lobby); instead, the entrance leads straight into the body of the church, with attention focused on the high altar. A few of the kost famous and best Venice churches that deserve special attention: San Marco Basilica. One hidden treasure that you'll find inside is one of the last paintings by Titian before his death, "The Martyrdom of St. Laurentius", dating back to 1558, which is an outstanding work of art, especially because the light and shadows play off of the night scene. Join our Alone in St. Marks Basilica After Hours tour to experience this incredbile building in a way that few visitors can. Top 10 Most Beautiful Churches in Venice This basilica was built in the 17th century at the far tip of the Dorsoduro area. These are magnificent edifices that have been in existence for centuries, and they play a major role in the cultural existence of the people. Also known as the Chiesa di San Pantaleone Martire, this church might seem unassuming from the outside. When you get inside the church, you have no choice but to marvel at the amazing work that went into creating such an elaborate piece of artwork that has survived for centuries. Like any Italian city, you might notice Venice has quite a few churches. We offer several after-hours and exclusive experiences, such as the VIP Doges Palace Secret Passages Tour & St. Marks Basilica, where your guide provides a full tour of this impressive church, from the east-meets-west architecture to the eye-popping gold mosaics. It is set in the heart of Sestiere of San Polo and glorifies the image of St Mary in the heavens. His work illustrates the shift to a Renaissance style with its use of perspective and dynamic human sculptures.