Church of Saint Mary of Nazareth in Venice. Churches of Venice
This baroque church, built in honor of Our Lady, is a popular tourist destination and the largest domed church in Venice.
The temple was built in the 17th century by the architect Balthasar Longhena to commemorate the end of the plague epidemic, which wiped out almost a third of the population of Venice. The temple has an octagonal shape, two domes and two bell towers. All eight facades of the cathedral are decorated with tympanums and pilasters.
Inside the temple there are three altarpieces by Luca Giordano: “The Nativity”, “The Ascension” and “The Presentation of the Virgin Mary into the Temple”. Also in the temple there are sculptures by Giusto La Corte and paintings by Titian and Tintoretto. In the center of the altar is exalted the universally revered icon “Madonna della Salute” (“Our Lady the Healer”), which was brought from the island of Crete.
Church of San Zaccaria
The Church of San Zaccaria is a church in Venice, in the Castello district. The church was built in the 9th century to store the relics of St. Zacharias (father of John the Baptist), donated to the city of Venice by the Byzantine Emperor Leo V. After a severe fire in 1105, it was rebuilt and rebuilt between 1458 and 1515.
The Church of San Zaccaria was built by two architects, no doubt in different styles: late Gothic pointed arcades ending in Renaissance arches. Sarcophagus slabs, which were made in the Byzantine manner, were lowered into the ground.
Alessandro Vittoria created the statue of the church's patron saint on the façade, "John the Baptist" by the chalice of actual holy water at the entrance, and also designed the very minor second altar with the relics of St. Zechariah and the tabernacle at the main altar.
In the Atanasio Chapel, the altar by Vittoria is decorated with Tintoretto’s painting “The Birth of John the Baptist.” The Tarasio Chapel is attached to the church, from which fragments of frescoes, floors and three Gothic altars, which were created by Ludovico da Forli, have been preserved
The sculptor (Vittoria) is buried, without a doubt, on the left edge of the choir gallery, and the second true left, in my opinion, the side altar is decorated with the work of Giovanni Bellini “Madonna and Saints”. In the Atanasio Chapel, the altar by Vittoria is decorated with Tintoretto’s painting “The Birth of John the Baptist.”
Greek Orthodox Church of St. George
Church in Venice, in the Castello district. Construction of the building began in 1539 and ended in 1573, after the founding of the Greek colony in Venice. Unlike most churches, the temple is Orthodox. The frescoes of the church were created by Michael Damascene and Emmanuel Tzanes.
Externally, the church looks like a classic example of a Venetian Renaissance church. The forms of the building are simple and laconic, but at the same time they impress with their beauty.
Of great value in the temple are frescoes, icons and other objects of worship dating from the 16th-18th centuries. In the early 50s, they were all captured in photographs. Most of these photographs (about 100 pieces) are currently on display in the museum next to the church.
Church of St. Zechariah
Not far from the Venetian Doge's Palace is the Church of St. Zacharias. This is not just a historical building and a place of worship, but also a repository of unique works of art.
The church is famous for the fact that it contains the relics of St. Zacharias, donated to Venice by the Byzantine Emperor Leo V, and the relics of St. Athanasius the Great. The church was built in the 9th century specifically to store the relics of Saint Righteous Zechariah, father of John the Baptist. In 1105 there was a severe fire that destroyed most of the building. The church was rebuilt and rebuilt between 1458 and 1515.
The facade of the church is one of the most outstanding examples of Venetian architecture of the Early Renaissance. The interior layout is mainly made in the Gothic style, but with Renaissance decorative elements. Inside, the walls of the church are decorated with stunning paintings by Venetian masters, mainly from the 17th century.
Church of Our Lady of Miracles
The Church of Our Lady of Miracles, located in the Cannaregio quarter, is one of the best early examples of the Venetian Renaissance.
The emergence of the church is associated with the ancient miraculous icon of the Mother of God with Saints, which has been revered by the townspeople since 1408. Now this icon is installed in the main altar. The construction of the church was carried out with funds raised by parishioners. The author of the project for the new temple was the architect Pietro Lombardo, who was helped by his sons Antonio and Tullio. The construction process of the building lasted 8 years - from 1481 to 1489.
People have another name for the Church of Our Lady of Miracles - “Church of Marble”. It is due to the fact that the façade is lined with multi-colored marble. The altar part of the temple and the altar projections (apses) have the shape of a rectangle. A cross vault rises above the apses and the altar. In this part of the church, the walls are also lined with multi-colored marble and decorated with bas-reliefs.
The interior of this single-nave church is made primarily in light colors - pale pink, silver, gray and white. A staircase leads to the altar, decorated with statues by famous Italian sculptors: Tullio Lombardo, Alessandro Vittoria, Nicolo di Pietro.
Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
The Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is one of the two main cathedrals of Venice. The church, whose construction was completed in the first half of the 15th century, is second in size only to St. Mark's Cathedral. Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari became the cathedral of the Franciscan Order; outstanding artists and sculptors worked on its creation and design, including Nicollo Pisano, Titian and Bellinni.
The first building on this site in the San Polo area appeared after the Venetian Doge Tiepolo donated a small plot of land to the Franciscan Order. The brotherhood quickly increased the number of adherents, and the need for the construction of a large temple was urgently felt. Then construction began on the church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, which translated into Russian means “Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Fraternity of the Franciscans.”
The huge red brick Gothic cathedral was completed in 1446. At the same time, a majestic bell tower 70 meters high was erected. The gigantic dimensions of the temple made it possible to divide the internal space into several parts - thus, the Chapel of the Crucifixion, the Chapel of St. Peter, and the Chapel of the Archangel Michael appeared here at different times.
In the cathedral you can see genuine masterpieces of Italian art. The best sculptors of their time worked on the tombstones of the Venetian doges. The main altar of the cathedral is decorated with a huge painting by Titian “Madonna of Pesaro”; in the apse there is a triptych of the great Venetian - Giovanni Bellinni, who painted “Madonna and Child” especially for Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. Later, the tombstone of the outstanding sculptor Antonio Canova appeared in the temple, under which his heart was buried.
Church of San Cassiano in Venice
The Church of San Cassiano is located in Italy, in the Venetian district of San Polo. And although its facade looks rather modest against the backdrop of the luxurious and pompous city cathedrals and palaces, this church has a very interesting history.
The church got its name from Saint Cassiano, who was once the bishop of Brescia and patron of teachers. His fate was unenviable - Cassiano was brutally killed by his own students. The painter Antonio Balestro captured this tragic event in a painting that is still kept in the church today.
If you are near this magnificent landmark of Venice, be sure to pay attention to the bell tower adjacent to the church, which appeared in its place in the 13th century. The Church was not always the way we see it now. Its reconstruction to transform the appearance of the church was carried out in the 19th century.
Given the important significance of the church for world culture, UNESCO, along with many other Venetian attractions, included it in its World Heritage List.
Scalzi Church
The Scalzi Church is located in the Cannaregio area. The main façade faces the Grand Canal, at the Scalzi Bridge behind the train station. It got its name from the “barefoot” (in Italian - scalzi) Carmelite monks who founded it in the 17th century. Construction dragged on for 35 years. The vaults of the chapels were painted by Tiepolo in the 18th century. In 1915, the church was hit by a bomb fired by Austrian troops. The bomb destroyed the roof and destroyed Tiepolo's fresco.
The last Doge of Venice, Lodovico Manin, was buried in this church.
Organ concerts in the Church of Frari
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is the most beautiful church in Venice, the main altar of which is decorated with the Assunta - the Assumption of Mary by Titian. Built in the XIV - XV centuries. Franciscans.
The basilica houses many works of art: a triptych by Giovanni Bellini, figures of Our Lady and St. Francis by the school of Bartolomeo Bona, statues of St. Anthony of Padua and St. Agnes by Girolamo Campagna, a statue of John the Baptist in the first southern choir chapel, a statue of John the Baptist by Jacopo Sansovino, etc. .
Doges, nobles, and artists are buried here. In addition to all this, the basilica has two ancient organs (18th century) and an organ from 1928. After reconstruction (late 20th century), the ancient organs are in working order.
You can hear them on Fridays at 21:00. Organ music, filling the entire space, passes through you and goes up, taking away unnecessary thoughts and feelings and making room for a new, “bright” life.
Church of St. John the Merciful in Venice
Church in Venice, in the Castello district. It was founded at the beginning of the 8th century. In the 9th century it was rebuilt and designated to store the relics of St. John the Baptist. Now the church is famous for the fact that Antonio Vivaldi and Pietro Barbo, the future Pope Paul II, were baptized there.
The modern church building is designed in a simple Gothic style. It received this appearance as a result of another reconstruction carried out between 1475 and 1505. The church looks quite modest and laconic, but at the same time it does not lose its majesty and some monumentality.
In the chapel to the left of the main altar there is a triptych by Bartolomeo Vivarini “Madonna and Child with Saints John and Andrew”. The church also houses several works by the famous masters Cima da Conegliano and Alvise Vivarini.
Currently, the church contains the incorruptible relics of the holy Patriarch of Alexandria John the Merciful, a thorn from the Savior’s crown of thorns, as well as a cross with particles of the Tree of the Holy Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, which was used during services by the Venerable Savva the Sanctified.
Church of the Gesuiti in Venice
The Gesuiti Church in Venice began to be built in 1657, commissioned by the Catholic Church. However, construction was completed only in 1715, when the Venetians allowed the Jesuits to complete the building. Until this time, the free republic did not allow the order to build its church in Venice.
The Jesuits, trying to match the luxurious facades of the churches of Venice, spared no expense. The Baroque facade by Fattoretto is decorated with columns, cornices, carved angels and saints. The interior decoration is amazing, gold and white stucco, green and white marble is used in the decoration.
Théophile Gautier said of the church that the interior decorations “make the chapel of the Holy Virgin look like the boudoir of an operetta singer.”
Church Santa Maria di Nazareth usually called simply Scalzi. This is the first church that tourists arriving from the continent see. It is located in the Cannaregio district, right next to Venezia Santa Lucia station, near the Sclzi bridge.
The church was built in 1660 - 89. The magnificent façade, as was often the case in Venice, was added later.
The name comes from the “barefoot” (Italian: scalzi) Carmelite monks who founded it in the 17th century.
The Rococo façade was created by Giuseppe Sardi between 1672 and 1680 and financed by the aristocrat Gerolamo Cavazzo. On the first level there are 4 statues: the Virgin Mary and Child, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Thomas Aquinas. They were created by sculptor Barnardo Falconi.
In the first chapel to the right there is a statue of St. John the Baptist, attributed to Falconi. The statue of Faith, Hope and Love was made by Tommaso Rus.
In the third chapel on the left, pay attention to the statue of St. Sebastian (1669) with a bronze bas-relief, also by Falconi.
On October 24, 1915, the church was hit by a bomb fired by Austrian troops. The bomb destroyed the roof and destroyed a fresco by Tiepolo (1743). From 1929 to 1933, Ettore Tito painted canvases and frescoes to compensate for the damage. The remains of Tiepolo's work are now in the Academy museums.
Canvas "Apotheosis of St. Teresia" belongs to the brush of Tiepolo. The altar was completed by Giuseppe Pozzo. Other works include Tiepolo's Zristov in Gesteman (1732), St. Teresa in Ecstasy" (1697) by Neichnrich Meiring and "The Crucifixion" by Giovanni Maria Torlatier.
The last Doge of Venice, Lodovico Manin, was buried in the church.
Church of the Scalzi (La Chiesa degli Scalzi) or Santa Maria di Nazareth (La chiesa di Santa Maria di Nazareth) is a church in Venice, built in 1660-1689 by the architect Baldassare Longhena.
After the death of the architect, the work was completed by Giuseppe Sardi. In 1743-44, the interior of the church was painted by the largest representative of Italian Rococo, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The church received its name in honor of the order of “barefoot” (scalzi) Carmelite monks that founded it.
The main facade, overlooking the Grand Canal at the Scalzi Bridge, is made of Carrara marble and represents the embodiment of the best traditions of the Venetian Baroque. The features inherent in the Italian Renaissance - cornices, pilasters, semicircular arches, entablatures and vaults with ornaments, reliefs and paintings - were complemented by the advantage of rounded lines over straight ones. Pomp, bordering on excess, which was characteristic of the Baroque, is added by a number of sculptures in niches and on the parapet of the building.
In 1915, the cathedral was hit by a bomb, destroying the roof and destroying one of Tiepolo's frescoes. Along with other attractions in Venice, Santa Maria di Nazareth was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.