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On an island, just across the Grand Canal, stands a bright white Palladian church, Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore.
Many times after visiting St. Mark’s square, I have stood on the banks of the waterway and stared at the church…it seemed untouchable.
Really not understanding the water taxi system, which seemed to be the way to reach this island, I was never comfortable trying to figure out how to get there, possibly making a mistake and ending up somewhere I didn’t plan. I always thought…next time. And next time never came…until I was visiting Venice with my husband one weekend.
Since two brains are better than one, together we deciphered the water taxi schedule and jumped on the one which we thought would get us there. It was a spontaneous decision and yes, it worked out…we made it across to the island!
As we pulled up to the dock, it suddenly dawned on me that we didn’t even know if the church was open to visitors…but at least we had made it there and figured that we could at least walk to the end of the island to see the lighthouse if it wasn’t.
First, we stood in the large plaza before the church and took in the basilica’s beautiful marble façade and the views of the city across the Venetian waters. Standing on the island, which was once called Insula Memmia (after the Memmo family who owned it) the church that once occupied the island, was consecrated to St. George. The San Giorgio Monastery was established in 982, when the entire island was donated for the monastery and it was built next to the church. In 1576, construction of the current church was begun.
Luckily, we found the church open for tourists and we began our explorations of the 16th century basilica.
Constructed by architect Andrea Palladio, the church’s spacious interior contains the usual things you might find in a basilica…chapels, tombs, altar, dome…but it is the artwork that takes center stage…both old and new.
Within the church’s three floors, paintings by Tintoretto were displayed including The Last Supper, The Entombment of Christ and The Fall of Manna as well as a significant masterpiece by Sebastiano Ricci, Madonna Enthroned With Saints. There were some modern pieces by Swiss artist Not Vital, Tintoretto (2020-2 silver boxes) found on the Main Altar, Pope Francesco (2020-2 silver boxes) found in the Main Chorus and the most impressive piece, House to Watch the Sunset (2021), found in the Transept, which is a large pyramid of stairs. This piece was created for the occasion of the 17th International Architecture Biennale.
Following the signs to the campanile, we paid our entrance fee and made our way to the top of the tower via the rapid ascent elevator. One of the finest examples of Venetian Gothic architecture, the bell tower was built in the 14th century by Pietro Lombardo and completed by Pietro Bellotto. From this vantage point, we had some of the most breathtaking views of the Venetian lagoon, the city and some of the nearby islands. We were also able to look down upon the cloisters of the monastery as well as gaze upward at the tower’s carillons. While the campanile of San Giorgio Maggiore is a little shorter than the Campanile di San Marco, one reason to make the trip to the island and make your way to the top, is that you don’t have to navigate its height via stairs, as you would at San Marco. I also think that the views from this perspective are more beautiful!
Exiting the church, we walked toward the harbor for an up close and personal look at the Lighthouse of San Giorgio Maggiore. While it is not one of the largest lighthouses I have ever seen, it is quite impressive with its clean masonry.
Finally, we headed back to the vaporetto dock and waited for the next boat. As it was the middle of August, it was extremely hot. The small enclosure, which offers protection from the cold and the rain, is not the best place to wait while the hot summer sun is bearing down. Dashing out back to the plaza in front of the church, we took more pictures and enjoyed the cool breeze coming off of the water until Vaporetto 2 was in sight.
Back to San Marco plaza, we headed, now feeling secure about our boat ride and how to navigate the Vaporetto system. This bit of confidence would serve us well for the rest of our trip as we navigated the city.
Another check on the Venetian bucket list…I no longer have to only wistfully stare at the beautiful church across the canal…I visited it!
There are many churches in the Venetian Islands, but this one is worth the trip!
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Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggio
- http://www.abbaziasangiorgio.it/
- Address: Isola di S. Giorgio Maggiore, 30133, Venezia VE, Italy
- Hours: April to October, 0900-1800, daily. November to March, 0830 to 1800.
- Admission: Church entrance, free. €6 for tower access
- Getting There: Vaporetto (water taxi) 2 or N. You will need two one-way tickets or a 24 hour pass to visit the island. If your visit is about an hour, your 75 minute ticket may still be valid for the return.