Churches, Venice

2 more images

We often saw the bell tower from the church of the XII Apostles from the terrace of our favoured restaurant Al Vecio Bragosso, so that one day we entered to visit the church.

Shaped like a great hall the church looks different from what one is used to (photo 1).
The present aisleless shape is from 1549 but the church was founded before 1000 a.D.
Shall I say that we did not feel very enthusiast with the inside and much more prefer the bell tower, a landmark for the Cannaregio sestiere (photo 2). It's really nice with harmonic proportions and a bell-gallery topped with an elegant baroque onion. The tower was built starting in 1601 by F. di Pietro, followed by A. Tirali and completed in 1712 by A.Gaspari.

Canaletto painted the campo SS Apostoli in one of his views from 1740 (photo 3). Not so much has changed except the trees and the tourists. The fountain is still on the campo.

2 more images

Religious promises or thanks giving, are, in many occasions, the basic reason for some artistic monuments. Batalha, where I got married is my closer example, and Santa Maria della Salute is another one. In 1630, facing the plague, the Venetian Senate promised to build a church in honor of the Virgin Mary to stop the plague .

The plague was really stopped, and the Venetian authorities honored their promise having built the church in Dorsoduro, by the Grand Canal.

Baldassare Longhena, the architect, conceived a octagonal basilica, combining elements of Venetian Byzantine architecture with domes inspired by St. Peter's in Rome.

The sights from the Grand Canal are wonderful, and visiting it's easy and free, with a vaporetto stop just in face of it.

4 more images

Like any Italian city, Venice has a number of churches reflecting the history of religious art and architecture.

In 1630, a plague decimated Venice. When it ended, the people gave thanks by erecting this church. Baldassarre Longhena designed it, and overcame numerous challenges in making it a reality. Sadly, he didn't live to see its completion in 1687.

Bartolomeo Bon the Younger designed San Rocco, which was completed in 1508. The facade was added in the 18th century. Dedicated to St Roch, it is known for its paintings by Venetian artist Tintoretto.

San Pantaleon was a physician in ancient Rome who converted to Christianity. Refusing to give up his faith, he was executed. The present church dates from the 17th century, replacing the original 12th century church. The ceiling is covered by a painting depicting the saint's martyrdom.

San Geremia was built in the 11th century; the current building dates from 1753, designed by Carlo Corbellini. It contains the relics of St Lucy, and is a popular place for pilgrimages.

Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is a hybrid Romanesque-Gothic church which contains the tombs of many famous Venetians. Begun in 1250, it was completed in 1443. Rather plain compared to some others (like St Mark's), it is nonetheless a very attractive piece of work.

4 more images

DORSODURO Sestieri
Vaporetto - Ca' Rezzonico or San Basilio

This 14th Century church is also known as Santa Maria del Carmelo, or just Carmini.

I found it, whilst wandering around, during my visit in December 2006.

I'm afraid that this church was closed at the time of my visit. However, its exterior had some interest.
The Renaissance facade is from the 16th century. The statue perched on top of the campanile is of the Virgin of Carmelo. This campanile was tilting dangerously, but was restored to safety in 1688.

I was fascinated by its Gothic side entrance on Calle della Pazienza, which is adorned with Byzantine stone plaques, featuring pairs of animals and birds (I've since spotted similar plaques around Venice and Padua)

Santa Maria was built as the centre of the Carmelite order in Venice in the 14th century. Apparently a series of Baroque paintings depicting the history of the order can be seen in the churches nave. The Carmelites had been expelled from the Holy Land in the 13th century, and had become re-established in Europe, due mainly to the efforts of St Simeon Stock.

If I had had the chance to see inside, I would have found a 14th century basilican interior, with arches of its nave covered by gilded wooden figures. Twelve columns support the sides of the vault, rising318 ft high

Works of art include;

'Adoration of the Shepherds' (circa 1509) by Cima de Conegliano (coin meter for illumination)

'St Nicholas of Bari with Saints Lucy and John the Baptist (circa 1529) by Lorenzo Lotti. This painting was considered to be "one of the most beautiful in all Italian art" by the art historian Bernard Berenson (1865-1959)

The painting is regarded as being a demonstration of the artists devotion to his religion, his personal sensitivity and also of his love of nature. It is full of detail, including a small depiction of St George slaying the dragon (on the right hand side)

UPDATE- December 2009, the church was open Christmas Day morning - There was a service taking place, so I stood quietly at the back. Afterwards, I had the chance for a good look around. There were laminated information sheets in different languages, which was quite useful. This church was quite near to my accommodation, so I could hear its bells ringing every morning from around 06.30 - 22.30 on the hour and a single chime on the half hour. It wasn't a problem- I quite liked to hear it.
As it was Christmas, there was a presepe-Nativity Scene.

I was pleased that I'd had the chance to look around.

2 more images

SAN POLO and SANTA CROCE

Also known as San Giacometto.

This church, was built in the 5th century, and is probably Venice's first church (and therefore its oldest!).

Legend states that Venice was founded at mid day Friday March 25th 421, and the church was consecrated in the same year.

It has undergone many restorations and re constructions.This present church dates from the 11th - 12th Century.

There was extensive work done in 1601.

Some say that it resembles an overgrown mantle piece clock!

The clock face on the outer wall, has a 24 hour reading, but its hands have rarely shown the correct time, since its instillation around the 14th century!

The bell tower sitting above the clock is Baroque, and the porch with its 5 columns was once a common feature of Venetian churches, but for some reason, this is one of the only two surviving examples (The other is San Nicolo dei Mendicoli - in Dorsoduro).

Its interior design is a mix of a miniature basillica and a Greek cross. Six Greek marble columns, with 11th century Veneto- Byzantine capitals.

A statue of St James with Angels is to be seen above the main alter.

For the church nearest to the market area, it is probably fitting that an inscription from the 12th century states "Around this temple Let the Merchants Law Be Just, His Weight true, and his Covenants Faithful" It is thought that the reconstruction of the church, was responsible for the market establishing itself here.

As the Crusaders ships set sail from the Rialto, it is quite likely that this would be the last place the ships crews would visit for mass before leaving land behind for a while.

Open Mon - Sat 0930 -1200 and 1600 - 1800

It is sometimes used as a concert venue
UPDATE- CHRISTMAS 2009 - I managed to see inside this church - worth a look around!

Perched at the mouth of the Grand Canal, the great white-domed edifice has occupied a pivotal point on the Venetian skyline for more than 350 years. Santa Maria was built in 1631 to fulfill a pledge made a year earlier by the Venetian Senate. The vow promised the building of a church in honour of the Virgin should she deliver Venice from a plague that claimed more than 45000 lives - around a third of the city's population.

3 more images

San Giacomo dall'Orio is one of the oldest churches of Venice. The original foundation of the building seems to date from the 9th century but the church was completely rebuilt in 1225. The churh was restored and modified in the 14th and the 15th centuries, the major renovation was undertaken in 1532 and the of Chapel of the Holy Sacrament was built in 1549. The origin of the name of the church is unknown. Possibilities include being named after a laurel – "lauro" that once stood nearby, a version of "dal Rio" – "of the river", or once standing on an area of dried-up swamp – "luprio".

Exterior of the San Giacomo dall'Orio is very austere, excluding, perhaps, square-plan bell tower built in the 13th century. The interior is beautiful, with quite unique, archaic atmosphere. Wooden keel roof with decorated wooden beams, built in late 14th or early 15th century and recently renovated, looks spectacularly.

San Giacomo dall'Orio treasures several paintings by Jacopo di Antonio Negretti called Palma Giovane considered to be the greatest of his achievements – "Passover", "Virgin and Child with Saints", "St Lawrence Giving the Wealth to the Poor", "The Martyrdom of St Lawrence"… Among the other paintings are "Virgin and Child with Saints" by Lorenzo Lotto, Veronese's "Doctors of the Church" and "Faith and the Holy Spirit"…

Although located on the square of the same name, one of the most beautiful Venetian squares – Campo San Giacomo dall'Orio, the church main facade and the portal face tiny Campiello del Piovan.

[…] Opposite of the entrance door, the painting that grabs the first look is grandiose "Marriage in Cana" painted by Jacopo Robusti called Tintoretto. On the back wall of the sacristy, on the left as visitor enters, there is an early Titian's masterpiece – "St Mark Enthroned with Saints" surrounded by latter tondos representing the Four Evangelists: St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke and St John, as well as the Doctors of the Church: St Jerome, St Augustine, St Ambrose, and St Gregory the Great. Titian also painted the tree magnificent ceiling canvases – "Cain and Abel", "David and Goliath" and "The Sacrifice of Isaac".

Santa Maria della Salute has its place in Serbian culture as it was the inspiration for one of the greatest poems in Serbian language – "Santa Maria della Salute" written by Laza Kostic in 1909.