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Santa Maria della Salute is my favoured church in Venice, more than San Marco for a very practical reason: during my last two visits to Venice the queue at San Marco was so long that I abandoned any hope of getting inside, while at the "Salute" there was no queue and I could sit quietly on the steps of the square in front of the basilica with a splendid view on the Bacino di San Marco. Even better, there are no pigeons here.
The architectural reason for liking this church is obvious. The architect Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682) realized a work of a great beauty and homogeneity. Santa Maria della Salute achieves perfection in the baroque style which is equalled by no other church of Venice.
The technical exploit is stunning, 1.106.657 piles of oak, alder and larch were needed for the foundations. On top of these 4 m long piles was build a platform called "zatterone" of oak and larch beams fixed together on which the actual stone construction could start.
The centrepiece of the structure is the church's great altar. The altar is sculpted with images of the Virgin and Child saving Venice from horrors of the plague epidemic of 1630.
The structure of the church is based on an octagonal space with six chapels radiating from the ambulatory. The floors in Santa Maria della Salute are decorated with beautiful ceramic tiles. To preserve these tiles people are not admitted in the central space.
S. Maria della Salute is a landmark of Venice and has often been represented in paintings by Canaletto and Guardi (XVIIIth), and later Turner, Monet, Boudin, Pissaro, Sargent from the Grand Canal side or from de Bacino di San Marco.
Presently a building in renovation hampers the view coming from the Grand Canal side.
Due to works it is not possible anymore to walk from the "Salute" along the "Dogana" building towards the Zattere and the Giudecca Canal.
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If you want to escape the jostling of San Marco take the motoscafo 82 in S. Zaccharia and cross the Bacino of San Marco. There is, in my opinion, nothing more grandiose in Venice than the square of San Giorgio Maggiore with the gleaming white Renaissance facade and the incomparable view on the Piazza, Ducal Palace, the Dogana and S. Maria della Salute.
The present church was built on the plans of Andrea Palladio between 1566 and 1610.
San Giorgio is typical of the late Renaissance. It is well lit, airy, and symmetrical. Thermal, clerestory windows bring light to the side chapels and to the nave.
The main attraction of San-Giorgio is the campanile build in 1726 by Scalforetto. (Entrance left of the choir). I don't know if this tower is as high as the one of San Marco, but at least the campanile of St-Giorgio did not tumble down like the one of San Marco in1902!
During a previous visit, ten years ago, we found that the elevator was very slow and somewhat shaky but the price was only 1000 LIT (= 0, 50 ). Nowadays it is fast but costs 3 (inflation in Venice is far ahead from any other town!).
Most of the time there is no queue, what is a marked advantage over San Marco's campanile.
The landscape in all directions is amazing: the whole of Venice, the lagoon with its green waters, all the islands of which the biggest, the Lido, in the south and beyond the Adriatic Sea.
In the Northwest: the airport, Mestre and the industries of Marghera. We were able, on an exceptionally clear day, to perceive the line of the Dolomites in the distance!
At the feet of the bell tower extends the monastery in a green environment.
Down from the bell tower one can admire the beautiful stalls in walnut of the choir of the church.
Outside, on the left of the church there is a small harbour for sailboats with a nice hexagonal lighthouse at the entrance and further a little bar. It could be a great place for a restaurant with terrace but there is none.
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Madonna dell'Orto, one of the most beautiful "hidden" churches in Venice and "one of the greatest expressions of the Venetian Gothic" is settled in quiet and peaceful northern Cannaregio district. It was built in late 14th and reconstructed during 15th century. Originally dedicated to St Cristopher, the church changed its name because an ancient statue of Virgin, found in a nearby garden and considered to be miraculous, was brought there. The portal of the church is decorated with statue of St Christopher Carrying the Christ Child and twelve statues of the Apostles above it. There is a legend about one of thirty silver coins, Judas award for betraying Christ, being there, inside the sculpture of Judas.
Although there is Cima da Conegliano masterpiece "St John the Baptist with Saints" in Madonna dell'Orto, this church is the best known for the works of Jacopo Robusti called Tintoretto. Tintoretto lived nearby the church, he had been a parishioner of Madonna dellOrto and, finally he had been buried in it, along with his son Domenico and daughter Marietta.
To be continued in PART II
Leave a Comment Directions: Madonna dell'Orto is on north of Venice. There is vaporetto station "Madonna dell'Orto" very near the church. The nearest place on Grand Canal is San Marcuola, and it is ten minutes of nice walk far from Madonna dell'Orto.Website: http://www.madonnadellorto.org/
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Basilica Santa Maria della Salute was built in the 17th century, as the gratitude to Virgin Mary, after ending of plague epidemic in 1630. It was designed by Venetian architect Baldassare Longhena who was 33 years old when he received the commission in 1631. He worked on the project intermittently for the rest of his life but died five years prior to its completion in 1687. The volutes, the large dome, the statues and the stairs make Santa Maria della Salute exterior a spectacular sight, which, accompanied with its dominant position made Santa Maria della Salute one of the most recognizable symbols of Venice.
The interior of Santa Maria della Salute is octagonal with robust arches at the sides divided by columns, on which rest the frame and tambour of the dome. The marble floor is decorated with an exquisite spiral mosaic which depicts the thirty-two roses of the Virgin Mary's rosary.
There is a profusion of notable artworks in Santa Maria Della Salute. Since the November 1670 the centre of the high altar is the place of the famous "The Madonna della Salute", made in the 12th century. Among the artworks in the side altars are "Presentation of Mary at the Temple" painted by Luca Giordano and Titian's "The Descent of the Holy Ghost". The large sacristy, which connects the basilica to the adjacent Seminary building treasures some of the greatest Venetian paintings.
To be continued in PART II
Leave a Comment Directions: Santa Maria della Salute is visible from Piazzetta San Marco, and it is just one vaporetto station away from Pontile di San Marco.
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Church of San Pantaleone Martire, known as San Pantalon in the Venetian dialect, is located on square of the same name. It is dedicated to Saint Pantaleon, martyr and healer from Nicomedia (present day Izmit, a city in Turkey). The church was established in the earliest history of Venice but it is not known even the exact century. In the early 11th century in 1009 it was rebuilt, then renovated in 1222. In a state of collapse, it was pulled down in 1668 and rebuilt more solidly. Another reconstruction occured in 1745. The most recent reconstructions and conservations of the paintings in the church were undertaken in 70s and 80s of 20th century.
San Pantalon is particularly well-known for the stupendous painting, considered to be the largest painting on canvas in the world "The Martyrdom and Apotheosis of St Pantalon", artwork of Gian Antonio Fumiani which he painted from 1680 until 1704. Approximate dimension of the painting is 25Χ50 m, and it covers the whole of the ceiling of the church. Fumiani putatively died from a fall from a scaffold, although some sources date his death to six years after he stopped work on the canvas. He was buried in San Pantalon church.
Other notable works include Trecento masterpiece "Madonna of the Poppy" by Paolo Veneziano, "Coronation of the Virgin" by Antonio Vivarini and Giovanni d'Alemagna in the Chapel of the Holy Nail and "St Pantalon healing a Boy" or "Conversion of St Pantaleon", probably the last work of Paolo Veronese, originally commissioned for the high altar. Leave a Comment Directions: Church San Pantalon is located on Campo San Pantalon north of Campo Santa Margherita.
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Church Santa Maria Formosa dominates the square of the same name. The church dates back to the 7th century and, according to tradition, it was founded by St Magnus, bishop of Oderzo. The name "formosa" relates to an alleged appearance of the Holy Virgin disguised as a fashionable woman. The church was restored several times, particularly in the 9th and 12th centuries, and finally rebuilt in 1492 by Mauro Codussi. But when Codussi died in 1504, he had still not begun work on the facades which long remained unfinished. Almost 40 years later, in 1542 Capello family financed construction of the Renaissance-style facade facing the channel. The Baroque facade, facing the square, was completed one century afrer Codussis dead in 1604, and work was finansed by the same Capello family. The belltower is the 17th century Baroque addition too.
Among the most remarkable artworks in Santa Maria Formosa is "Triptych of Madonna of Misericordia" by Bartolomeo Vivarini and "Polyptych of St Barbara" by Jacopo Negretti called Palma Vecchio. Leave a Comment Directions: Santa Maria Formosa is located approximately on the half way from Piazza San Marco to Campo San Giovanni e Paolo.
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[
] Tintoretto's six large canvases and four smaller ones are in Madonna dell'Orto. Eight of them are in the Chancel all of the four smaller allegorical figures representing Strength, Prudence, Justice and Temperance, and the four of the large ones "Moses Receiving the Tables of the Law", "The Last Judgment", "The Martyrdom of St Paul" and "The Vision of St Peter". The remaining two are the oldest one "The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple" and the one painted the last "The Miracle of St Agnes". Tintoretto's paintings in Madonna dell'Orto were made during the period of about 25 years.
The painting "The Madonna and Child" by Giovanni Bellini used to be in Madonna dell'Orto, but it had been stolen from it for the third time in 1993 and its present whereabouts is unknown.
Even in treasure box such as Venice, Madonna dell'Orto is very special jewel and it must not be missed. Leave a Comment Directions: Madonna dell'Orto is on north of Venice. There is vaporetto station "Madonna dell'Orto" very near the church. The nearest place on Grand Canal is San Marcuola, and it is ten minutes of nice walk far from Madonna dell'Orto.Website: http://www.madonnadellorto.org/
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Church of San Rocco was built by Scuola Grande di San Rocco, approximately at the same between 1489 and 1508. It was designed by Bartolomeo Bon, but was substantially altered in 1725. The facade of the church, work of architect Bernardino Maccaruzzi was built between 1765 and 1761. The church is dedicated to San Rocco St Roch of Montpelier was declared a patron saint of the city in 1576 and whose relics rest in the church. Every year, on St Roch feast day, August the 16th, the Doge made a pilgrimage to the church.
The painter assigned to make paintings for Scuola Grande di San Rocco Jacopo Robusti called Tintoretto, made several paintings for the church as well "St Roch in the Hospital", "St Roch in Prison Visited by an Angel"
Among the other paintings in Church of San Rocco are "St Martin and St Christopher" painted by Giovanni Antonio de Sacchis called Pordenone and Sebastiano Ricci's "St Francis of Paola Resuscitating a Dead Child". Leave a Comment Directions: Church of San Rocco is located by the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and behind Santa Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari.
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Church of Santa Maria del Carmelo, known as Dei Carmini in the Venetian dialect, is located on the square of the same name Campo Carmini in Dorsoduro area. The church was built in period from 1288 to 1348. The facade was rebuilt in the first decades of the 16th century, and the interior retains the original 14th century appearance three naves separated by columns.
Among many paintings inside this church are "St Nicholas of Bari in Glory" by Lorenzo Lotto and the "Adoration of the Shepherds" by Cima di Conegliano. Leave a Comment Directions: Church of Santa Maria del Carmelo is located on Campo Carmini and it is facing south side of Campo Santa Margherita.
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San Zaccaria is located on the square of the same name Campo San Zaccaria. It is dedicated to San Zaccaria Saint Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, whose relics it claims to possess.
The church was founded in the 9th century. After that it was reconstructed several times between 1444 and 1465 the architect, Antonio Gambello rebuilt it in a Gothic style, and after Gambello's death in 1481 Mauro Codussi added its present day beautiful Renaissance marble facade.
The crypt of the church, which is prone to flooding, contains the tombs of nine former doges.
To be continued in PART II
Leave a Comment Directions: San Zaccaria is a short walk far from the vaporetto station of the same name on Riva degli Schiavoni. It is on the east side of Basilica of San Marco, very near it.
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on March 7, 2007
on December 23, 2007
