Visit Gesuiti Church on your next trip to Venice
January 22, 2013 by Travel Guide
Filed under Sites To See
One of the attraction to visit whilst on your Venice Holidays is Gesuiti Church located in the district of Cannaregio – a district with a mixture of old and new, stretching in a arc at the northern fringes of Venice it has the 20th century railway station to the west and one of the oldest quarters to the east which borders the district of Castello.
Cannaregio was also home to 2 famous artists … Titian and Tintoretto and has wonderful churches such as the Madonna dell’Orto and the oldest Jewish ghetto in the world.
Take time out to relax in one of the many cafes that line the maze of street canals in Cannaregio or head for Lista di Spagna and Strada Nova which offer point-and-pick menus, or go for a stroll in a park.
One the main attractions is Gesuiti Church [or its official name Santa Maria Assunta], which is open daily [at an administration charge] between the hours of 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00 It is located in Fondementa delle Zattere by the Canale dell Giudecca.
Gesuiti was built by the Dominicans in 1714 after the Gesuirti Order was suppressed. The facade is the quayside’s most conspicuous landmark and the interior features Tiepolo’s frescoed ceiling, The Life of St Dominic and his Virgin with Saints, as well as two works by Ricci and Piazzetta and paintings by Titian including Martydom of St Lawrence, which depicts the saint being roasted alive.
The first glimpse of this white, ornamental Baroque church may well take your breath away. It has four columns on either side of a large bronze door, which, along with the roof and tabernacles inside are adorned by angels. The naive is festooned with trompe l’oeil paintings and carved green and white marble, which appears to be draped around the walls.
So on your next visit to Venice, visit the district of Cannaregio and the Gesuiti Church – it will be an attraction you will long remember.