Early Venetians took worship seriously, as witnessed by the clusters of churches and bell-towers seen throughout the city. On the one hand churches are hallowed places, where memories are written in the walls and whispers of murmured prayers hang in the air. On the other, they testify to Venice’s unique fusion of sacred and secular representations as a means of emphasising and justifying its imperial power.
Istituto Canossiano San Trevaso
The Chiesa delle Eremite (also known as Romite) is a small church serving only the nuns of the adjoining convent, therefore it is not open to the public. It was built in 1694 as part of a monastery complex housing Augustinian nuns.
The convent accommodated orphans and unmarried women from the 'citizen' (Cittadini) class of Venetian society, while daughters of the nobility were sent to San Zaccaria. For many centuries patrician families who could not afford marriage dowries, used convents as a means of providing for their unmarried daughters. It was better that a woman enter religious life than marry too far below her station. This created a class-based setting of monastic life in which many women were immured against their will. |
The church,dating from the latter half of the 17th century, is plain on the outside, contrasting with a richly decorated interior. The choir stall behind the altar is dominated by a polychrome and gilt wooden relief of the Madonna della Misericordia dating from the beginning of the 15th century.
Lemon trees and grape vines grow in two spacious, tranquil courtyards.
The institute is now a university college offering conference facilities and holiday accommodation.
A topiary garden is enclosed by Palladian cloisters at the former Benedictine monastery on Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore. Devastated after 100 years of military occupation, it was restored by Vittorio Cini in memory of his son. The complex now provides a centre of learning and research into Venetian cultural history.
The organisation was originally established by monks in 1423. The cloisters date from the 15th and 18th centuries. Following Napoleon's decree for the dissolution of religious orders, the buildings were used as an orphanage. In the 1980s the centre provided accommodation for students, then in 2000 opened its doors to tourists.
The garden cloister of Santa Maria dei Carmini, now part of the State Institute of Art is an example of thoughtful repurposing following its suppression in 1810. The foundation dates from the 14th century but came into its own in 1597, when a group of laywomen set up a thriving charitable confraternity. The nuns earned their livelihood stitching monastic aprons for nearby Carmelite monastery. Cloisters were contemplative spaces at the heart of monastic life, creating an atmosphere of peacefulness.
Cini Foundation
Centro Culturale Don Orione Artiginalle
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| Don Orione Artiginalle |
San Pietro di Castello
Far from the tourist crowds, the island of San Pietro off the eastern tip of Venice, is the site of Venice’s original cathedral.
Originally known as Olivolo, San Pietro was one of the first islands to be inhabited, playing a central role in Venetian history. Recent archaeological investigations into remains at Castello have dated the first signs of human habitation to the late 6th century.
The Basilica di San Pietro was the city’s cathedral church until 1807 when St. Mark’s became Venice’s official cathedral.
The cloisters of the former Bishop’s palace, although rather neglected, retain their authenticity.
The Knights Templar in Venice
The first historical reference to a sacred building on this site was made in 1187. For two hundred years after this date the church of San Giovanni Battista and the adjoining hospital of Santa Caterina belonged to the Templars.
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| Cloisters, San Pietro di Castello |
Originally known as Olivolo, San Pietro was one of the first islands to be inhabited, playing a central role in Venetian history. Recent archaeological investigations into remains at Castello have dated the first signs of human habitation to the late 6th century.
The Basilica di San Pietro was the city’s cathedral church until 1807 when St. Mark’s became Venice’s official cathedral.
The cloisters of the former Bishop’s palace, although rather neglected, retain their authenticity.
The Knights Templar in Venice
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| Cloister, San Giovanni di Malta |
The first historical reference to a sacred building on this site was made in 1187. For two hundred years after this date the church of San Giovanni Battista and the adjoining hospital of Santa Caterina belonged to the Templars.
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| First crusade |
