Venice:San Marco:Churches

San Bartolomeo Giovanni Scalfarotto 1723
Tucked away down busy and somewhat noxious alleys near the Rialto bridge. History Tradition says a small church dedicated to San Dimitrio was built here in 840. In 1170 the church was rebuilt and re-dedicated to San Bartolomeo, being used from the 13th Century onwards by German merchants from the nearby Fondego dei Tedeschi, which is now the main post office. A rebuilding of 1723 by Giovanni Scalfarotto is the church we see today. It was closed and deconsecrated in the 1980s following decades of neglect, and reopened as an art gallery. After a recent restoration it is now used for concerts which are, it is said, not the best and contains a museum of musical instruments which is also said to be not worth a visit. The church The carving of the grotesque face over the main entrance at the base of the campanile (right) may be a reference to the suffering of St Bartholomew, whose martyrdom involved being whipped and skinned alive. Art highlights All the art (including paintings by Palma il Giovane and sculpture by Heinrich Meyring) was removed when the church was deconsecrated, apart from the sculptures by Meyring on the altar and the choir loft at the rear of the church. A fresco over the altar also remains - St Bartholomew in Glory by Morleiter. Lost art Dürer painted the Madonna of the Rosary (see right) now in Prague, for this church in 1506, as it was then the church used by the German community. Commissioned by merchant Christopher Fugger, it shows the influence of Venetian painting generally, and Giovanni Bellini in particular. Organ panels by Sebastiano del Piombo, showing Saints Sinibaldo, Alvise, Sebastiano and Bartolomeo, are in the Accademia following much-needed restoration. (S. Sinibaldo (Sebald) is the patron saint of Nuremberg, where he lived as a hermit. One of his miracles was using icicles as fuel on the fire of a poor man who given him shelter but who had no wood.) Campanile Built, with an octagonal onion dome, by Giovanni Scalfarotto in 1747-54 Opening Times For concerts... ...but the website for San Salvador says Tue/Thur/Sat 10.00 - 12.00 am Wed/Fri 7.00 - 9.00 pm (only for prayer and worship) Vaporetto Rialto
San Basso Giuseppe Benoni/Baldassare Longhena 1665-1675
		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 Piazetta dei Leoncini, which the church faces onto, also contains the Palazzo Patriarchale. Begun in 1837 this was the last (so far) major new building in the Piazza San Marco area. In the monumental neoclassical style, it roughly but noticeably echoes the the facade on San Basso The church in art The Piazzetta di S. Basso by Michele Marieschi (church facade to the right) (see left). Also visible in the background of Daniele Manin and Niccolò Tommaseo freed from prison and carried in triumph to Piazza San Marco by Napoleone Nani in the Querini-Stampalia Vaporetto San Zaccaria
San Beneto 1619-1695
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
San Fantin Scarpagnino/Sansovino 1507-1564.
		It faces La Fenice History Said to have been founded in the 9th Century, the earliest documentary evidence dates from 1134. The old church was demolished in 1506 and a new one begun. This was to a design by Scarpagnino, who worked on the building until his death in 1549. Jacopo Sansovino took over, designing the domed apse, and the building was completed in 1564. This was the guild church of the Scaleteri (vendors of biscuits and sweets) whose patron saint is San Fantin. Art Several by Palma il Giovane. Ruskin said Said to contain a John Bellini, otherwise of no importance. Opening times Vaporetto Santa Maria del Giglio
San Gallo
History Built in 1582 as the chapel of an almshouse, it acquired its present form in 1703. Art highlights The painting above the altar has been attributed to Tintoretto, but most authorities disagree. A visit One of the sites of the 2007 Art Biennale, housing an installation by Bill Viola called Ocean Without a Shore. I visited in October but as it's a video thing nothing of the church inside could be seen due to the darkness, which was a shame. Still, I can report that the video installation was just as tedious as they usually are. Vaporetto San Marco
San Luca
		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 San Luca turns up oddly often in the sketchbooks of Turner, possibly because it's on one the main canal routes from the San Marco area (where he usually stayed) to the Grand Canal. The church is right of centre in the watercolour sketch below, from the London Tate Gallery's collection. Vaporetto S. Angelo
San Marco

San Maurizio Pietro Zaguri/Giannantonio Selva/Antonio Diedo 1806-28
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. (The leaning campanile belongs to Santo Stefano.) Opening times 9.30-8.30
San Moise Alessandro Tremignon/Heinrich (Enrico) Meyring 1668
		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
San Salvador
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. Opening times Monday-Saturday: 9.00-12.00 and 3.00-6.00, Sunday: 3.00-7.00 The afternoon hours are shorter (4-6 pm) in the summer (June-August). website Vaporetto Rialto
San Samuele
		Vaporetto San Samuele
San Vidal
		Photo by Graham Morrison
San Zulian
Photo by Brigitte Eckert		Photo by Brigitte Eckert
Santa Maria del Giglio Giuseppe Benoni/Giuseppe Sardi 1670-83
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 The facade is another of the irreligious self-glorifying displays that Ruskin condemned, along with San Moise, as a 'manifestation of insolent atheism'. Here it's Antonio Barbaro who left 30,000 ducats in his will with precise instructions as to how Sardi was to celebrate his political and military careers. The heavily populated facade has Barbaro's four brothers, clothed according the public offices they held, on the lowest level, with Barbaro himself on the next level up, over the door, all sculpted by Giusto Le Court. Hoards of allegorical figures, angels and putti keep him company. The plinths under the pairs of Corinthian columns on this upper level show battle scenes, whilst the eye level plinths under the Ionic columns at ground level show plans of the cities of Antonio's military triumphs: Zara, Candia (Crete), Padua, Rome, Corfu and Spalato (Split). Art There are two unusually under-populated early Tintorettos of evangelists on either side of the altar which were originally organ doors. There's also a Rubens (much rarer in Venice - it's the only painting by him in town) Virgin and children. Although some guide books use words like 'alleged' and 'attributed'. Campanile Visible in the Canaletto painting (see below). Demolished in 1774 - only the base remains and is now a gift shop. Barbari's famous map shows that an earlier tower had toppled too by 1500. The church in art Santa Maria Zobenigo by Canaletto (below) with the demolished campanile then still intact. Opening times Monday to Saturday: 10.00 to 5.00 Sundays: closed A Chorus Church Vaporetto Santa Maria del Giglio		Photo by Vicky Greig
Santo Stefano 1294-1325/early 15th Century
		History A convent church was founded here in 1294 by the Augustinian hermits of Sant'Anna di Castello and named for Saints Augustine and Stephen, the latter because Augustine himself had declared a devotion to Saint Peter. The original building was finished in 1325, and then begun again in the early 15th Century. The church The facade, with a fine carved doorway said to be by Bartolomeo Bon (above left) faces onto a cramped calle, which does not make viewing it, or photographing it, easy. The interior is one of Venice's most memorable and impressive. Divided into a nave and two aisles, the walls are frescoed in a pleasing diamond and acanthus-leaf pattern and above all is the richly-decorated ship's keel (carena di nave) roof probably made in the Arsenale. The columns are alternating red and white marble, with frescoed arches, and the floor pleasingly compliments the colour scheme. Art The sacristy is chock-full of paintings, with some characteristic late Tintorettos, including an impressive and large Last supper. In the small cloister beyond you can get close to some sculpture by Pietro Lombardo amongst others, including Canova's tombstone for Senator Giovanni Falier (left). Canova's first Venetian studio was in the cloisters of Santo Stefano. Ruskin said 'An interesting building of central Gothic, the best ecclesiastical example of it in Venice. The west entrance is much later than any of the rest, and is of the richest Renaissance Gothic, a little anterior to the Porta della Carta, and first-rate of its kind. The manner of the introduction of the figure of the angel at the top of the arch is full of beauty. Note the extravagant crockets and cusp finials as signs of decline.' Cloister The cloister, off of Campo Sant'Angelo house the Ministero delle Finanze and can be visited weekday mornings. It's a large and handsome cloister (below left) but the wires and air-conditioning units, amongst other impositions, show it to be what you might call a working cloister. Some nice steps, corners and bits of stonework though, so worth a visit. Campanile Late Renaissance (1544) and leaning. Opening times Monday to Saturday 10.00-6.00; Sunday 3-6 Cloisters: Monday to Friday 9.00-1.00 Vaporetto Accademia
Santi Rocco e Margarita