Considered one of the religious architectural masterpiece of Andrea Palladio, the church was commissioned by the Council of the Republic in 1577 as a votive temple sanctify by The Redeemer for having stopped the plague in 1576.
The work represent one of the absolute architectural masterpiece of the Renaissance; it was completed after Andrea Palladio's death in 1580 by his foreman Antonio da Ponte, who remained totally faithful to the original Palladian design.
The Church of the Redeemer is also the center of one of the popular heart-felted celebration by Venetians: the Feast of the Redentore, on the third Sunday of July. Indeed, the church, that is in the Giudecca island, was meant to be the last station for the solemn procession of the Redentore, that cross the Giudecca canal thanks to a bridge of boats, built every year just for this occasion.
The façade, emanating the fascination of a bas-relief from a distance, has the typically Palladian composition of broken pediments and half columns united by a horizontal band.
The whitewashed interior, on the other hand, has all the impressive simplicity of a classical temple. The ground plan is not actually Latin-cross but rather an ingenious series of interconnected spaces (nave, presbytery, choir) forming a ceremonial progression from entrance to high altar.
The paintings on the altars are by the Venetian school, 16th -17th centuries.
There are a number of important artistic works in the church and in the sacristy, such as the big lunette by Pietro Vecchia' "The Virgin presenting Jesus to the Blessed Felix".
In the nave and in the presbytery, paintings by Paolo Veronese and assistants, Jacopo Tintoretto, Francesco Bassano, Paolo Piazza, and Palma il Giovane. Along with the fine Veronese altarpiece "The Baptism of Christ" (1560), the sacristy also treasures valuable reliquaries and other devotional paintings bonded with the history of the church including a panel by Alvise Vivarini and works by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Jacopo Bassano, and Francesco Bissolo.
Today, the Church of the Redeemer in Venice is part of the extensive Association for the Churches of the Patriarchate of Venice (Chorus), which protects and makes accessible numerous churches and sacred places throughout the island, also contributing to the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of Venice's architectural and artistic heritage.
Useful information:
Opening hours:
From Monday to Saturday, from 10.30 am to 5 pm
Prices:
- entry fee: 3.50 euro
- reduced entry fee: 2,50 euro
Other options:
CHORUS PASS
A single ticket valid for visiting all the churches of the Association. Ticketing and info at: https://chorusvenezia.org/shop/:
Chorus Pass full: 14,00 euro
Chorus Pass reduced: 10,00 euro
The single ticket for the Church can be purchased directly in the ticket-office inside the church.
Contacts:
Tel: +39 041 2750462
E-mail: info@chorusvenezia.org
For any further infomation and updates on opening times, please check on website: www.chorusvenezia.org
Indirizzo: Campo del SS. Redentore, 195 Giudecca cap 30133 - Venezia
How to get there: water-bus, stop "Redentore"
Copyright Notice: these images have been sourced online. If you are the copyright holder and wish for it to be removed, please contact us.