San Francisco Della Vigna is a church that will leave you speechless.
Here, you can see the expertise of many artists.
Sculptors, painters and, of course, the architectural marvel that is this church.
Let's discover this place together!
San Francisco Della Vigna: article summary
The history of San Francisco Della Vigna
This church stands where, according to tradition, Saint Mark was driven out by a storm on his way back from Aquileia. There, an angel told him that the Lagoon was to be his resting place. The original medieval church was built by the Franciscans in 1253 on the site of a chapel in a vineyard. This church can now only be seen on the map of the town of Barbari. Some sources claim that this small original chapel survived until 1810.
As soon as the foundation stone was laid on August 15, 1534, Doge Andrea Gritti sponsored a reconstruction to revitalize the area. The work was practically completed by the end of 1554, although the consecration did not take place until 1582.
When Gritti died in 1538, he was buried near the high altar. His place was taken in the 1560s by Giovanni Grimini, who paid Andrea Palladio for a façade in Istrian stone, Sansovino's design now considered old-fashioned. It was Palladio's first completed ecclesiastical commission, erected in 1568.
Enjoy the magnificent interior
The interior is in the shape of a Latin cross, with a single nave and no aisles, but with deep side chapels. The interior is harmonious and simply pleasing. You could read that Sansovino himself, influenced by his friend Titian, designed the church to reflect the mystical properties of the number seven.
The barrel-vaulted ceiling does not have the dome designed by Sansovino. Indeed, no one ever built one. Placing the monks' choir behind the altar was one of his innovations, later adopted by Palladio. Interior and artistic highlights
There are five chapels on either side of the nave, some more ornate than others, but most very simple, the better to highlight the colors of their altarpieces. 16th century, churches no longer had screens between nave and choir. The first chapel on the left features fine fresco decoration by Battista Franco, with the Adoration of the Magi on the altar by Federico Zuccari.
The third on the left is a glossy white marble box with lots of carvings and some trompe-l'oeil figures in Tiepolo pendants. The ceiling, which also looks like Tiepolo's work, is actually by Girolamo Pellegrini.
An exceptional chapel at San Francisco Della Vigna
The Giustinian Chapel, fifth from left, contains Paolo Veronese's Madonna and Child enthroned with the young John the Baptist and Saints Catherine and Anthony Abbot. This was his first major commission in Venice, painted around 1551, four years before he moved here. Its pyramidal, asymmetrical structure shows the influence of Titian's Pesaro altarpiece on the Frari.
The Priuli chapel in the left transept contains the stone where Santa Giustina knelt for her martyrdom, in the right wall, and in a display case the body of Santa Cristina, martyred at the age of 13 in 297. The stone and relics were brought here from the church of Santa Giustina when it was abolished in 1810.
What are San Francisco Della Vigna's opening hours?
You can visit the site all year round:
- 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- 3 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
A visit to San Francisco Della Vigna is a unique experience in a unique setting. trip to Venice. Here, you can revel in the many works of art on display. You can also spend some quiet time away from the bustling streets of Venice. What you need enjoy a break during your trip!
What to do in Venice in 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, a week?
Whatever the length of your stay, I invite you to download my special Venice guide.
It's free and in PDF format.
All you have to do is tell me below which e-mail address you'd like to receive it at.
EDIT: you can't enter your email?
Take the quiz at the top of this article and you'll be able to register your email address to receive the special Venice guide!
Leave a Reply