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San Marco |
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San Bartolemeo
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San Bartolomeo |
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Tucked away down busy and somewhat noxious alleys near the Rialto bridge. History |
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San Basso |
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History Facing the side entrance to Basilica San Marco, the original church on this site was built in 1076. The church was rebuilt in the 12th Century and destroyed by fire in the 17th, then being rebuilt immediately. This last church, the current building, dating from 1665, was probably designed by Giuseppe Benoni with the facade (left) added 10 years later by Baldassare Longhena, but never finished - its upper part was never built. A small campanile was built but later demolished. Closed by the French in 1810, the church was later used to house works of art belonging to San Marco, but now hosts exhibitions and Vivaldi concerts. It needs a clean. Local colour The church in art |
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San Beneto |
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More famous for sharing a campo with the Fortuny Museum than anything else. History Tradition says the church was founded in the second half of the 11th Century. In 1229 it was given to the monastery of Brandolo by Pope Gregory IX. The structure became dangerous and so the current building, which dates from 1619-1695, was built at the expense of the patriarch Giovanni Tiepolo. Art highlights Said to contain works by Carlo Maratta, Jacopo Guarana, Sebastiano Mazzoni (two painting of St Benedict), Antonio Fumiani, Giambattista Tiepolo (St Francis of Paola, said to be 'rather faded and over-cleaned') and Gaspare Diziani. Also the 'boldly painted' St Sebastian having his wounds washed by holy women by Bernardo Strozzi, a Genoese priest. Opening times Currently closed. Vaporetto S. Angelo |
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San Fantin |
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It faces La Fenice |
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San Gallo |
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San Luca |
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History Originally built before 1072 by the Dandolo and Puzzamano families, the present church dates from a rebuilding in the 16th century, with the collapse of the façade creating an urgent need for more rebuilding in 1832. The church Tucked away just North of Campo Manin, opposite a long-disused cinema, it's orangey pink on the outside and not entirely fascinating on the inside. There is a worse-for-wear Veronese over the high altar and a Palma il Giovane, of course. The church's main claim to fame now is the fact that Pietro Aretino was buried here in 1556 but his tomb got covered over during the 19th Century restoration. The church in art |
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San Marco |
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San Maurizio |
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History Tradition says the original church was built in the 9th century, but the earliest recorded mention is dated 1088. Present neoclassical church dates from a rebuilding begun in 1806, to the designs of patrician Pietro Zaguri, by Giannantonio Selva, the façade and altars being by Selva. The work was finished after Selva's death by Antonio Diedo and the church consecrated in 1828. The 1806 rebuilding was carried out for the church to replace the demolished church of San Geminiano, with Zaguri's designs supposedly taking their inspiration from that church and from Codussi.
The church having been deconsecrated, the interior has been stripped and the church is now full of old violins in display
cases - this is now a Vivaldi-related baroque music museum, but is still quite a
pleasing square space and worth a visit. The shop in the foyer is also a good source for obscure baroque-music
CDs you might not find back home. |
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San Moise |
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Ruskin said 'one of the basest examples of the basest schools of the Renaissance'. The rest of us just say 'blimey!' The church Tradition has it that there's been a church on this site since the 7th Century. The second was built in the 10th Century by Moisè Venier and dedicated to San Moise (St Moses). So this is the third, but I'd hazard a guess that neither of the previous buildings were half so....impressive as this one. Baroque churches can be overwhelming in the profusion of their decoration, but San Moise just makes your jaw drop. And that it stands next to the extreme modernist plainness of the Hotel Bauer-Grünwald just exaggerates the effect even more. The reconstruction was paid for by the Fini family and it's Vincenzo Fini, who was made Procurator of San Marco in 1687, whose bust sits atop the central obelisk on the facade, propped up by angels, saints and a pair of camels. In the order above you'll find four virtues, with sibyls at the top. The whole theatrical thrust of the facade is to the glory of the Fini, and represents the mercantile lives of the brothers. All the decoration is by Flemish sculptor Heinrich Meyring (sometimes Italianised to Merengo) who also carved the massive sculpture on the altar inside, seemingly out of rock. It shows God handing the tablets to Moses, and gives some idea where Walt Disney got the idea of dioramas from. It has all the good taste of the exterior, but the rest of the interior is somewhat less overpowering with some good art. Quotes ![]() The late-renaissance use of the facade to glorify generous benefactors was said by Ruskin to be a 'manifestation of insolent atheism'. Campanile 14th Century with fired brick spire. Opening times Daily 3.30-7.00 officially But it actually seems to be open most of the time. Vaporetto San Marco |
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San Salvador
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History Traditionally said to have been first built in the 7th Century, a rebuilding of the 12th Century after a fire can be seen on Barbari's famous map of 1500. The present church was begun in 1507 to designs by Giorgio Spavento with Tullio Lombardo supervising. Jacopo Sansovino was responsible for the completion of this work in 1530-34 and for the lovely frescoed side entrance onto the Mercerie. The façade was rebuilt 1649-63 to a design by Giuseppe Sardi with sculptural decoration by Bernardo Falcone. The interior The church has a lovely dark grey interior, which reminded me of some favourite churches in Florence, although the triple-domed interior is supposed to hark back to the Byzantine and San Marco. Despite the darkish stone it's a well-lit church - large but not huge Art highlights The great Titian Annunciation sits on an altar by Sansovino, next to his tomb of Doge Francesco Venier. The other great Titian is the Transfiguration over the high altar, which hides a 14th Century silver reredos revealed only at Christmas, Easter and at the feast of San Salvador on the 6th of August. Then there's The Supper at Emmaus, an unimpressive work which might be by Bellini, a pupil of Bellini called Benedetto Diana, or Carpaccio, depending on which book you read. The church itself covers its options by having both famous artists' names scribbled in biro on masking tape stuck on the plastic sign nearby, with question marks. There are also works by Paris Bordone, Palma il Giovane (of course) and, on the inside of the organ doors, two paintings by Franceso Vecellio, Titian's brother, who is also said to be responsible for the frescoes in the side entrance. The sacristy, which I missed, has more frescoes by him, discovered in the 1920s and swiftly restored. In 2003. The monastery The attached monastery, with restored cloisters (with the red banner over the door in the photograph right.) is said to be Sansovino's work too and is now the HQ of a phone company and open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Ruskin said In the interior of the church are some of the best examples of Renaissance sculptural monuments in Venice. it is said to possess an important pala of silver, of the thirteenth century, one of the objects in Venice which I much regret having forgotten to examine; besides two Titians, a Bonifazio, and a John Bellini. The latter ("The Supper at Emmaus") must, I think, have been entirely repainted: it is not only unworthy of the master, but unlike him; as far, at least, as I could see from below, for it is hung high.
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San
Samuele |
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Vaporetto San Samuele | |
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San Vidal |
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San Zulian |
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Photo by Brigitte Eckert |
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Santa Maria del Giglio |
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Baroque like San Moise, but mercifully much less so. History The original Byzantine-basilica style church was said to have been founded by the Slav Jubanico (corrupted over time to Zobenigo) family, hence the church's other name Santa Maria Zobenigo. After the usual centuries of restorations the present church, whose name translates as Our Lady of the Lily, was built in 1670-80 by Giuseppe Benoni, with the facade and side altars by Giuseppe Sardi. Similarly to the nearby Santo Stefano this church has it's side facing onto a broad campo with its facade overlooking a narrow calle.
The church Campanile The church in art |
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Santo Stefano |
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History Art Ruskin said |
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Santi Rocco e Margarita |
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