Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo — Attraction in Venice

We could not even imagine what a wonderful surprise awaits us by crossing the Ponte del Cavallo. From the bridge the view of Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo is magnificent. In front of us are two magical buildings, the Scuola Grande di San Marco and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. With the square and the surrounding palaces they form a magnificent whole. San Giovanni e Paolo is the main Dominican church in the city, built of brick in the Italian Gothic style. It is not dedicated to the apostles John and Paul, but to the martyrs of the early Christian church of the same name from Rome. The Venetians colloquially call it San Zanipolo. It is one of the larger Venetian churches with the status of a minor basilica and has served as the tomb of Venetian doges since the 15th century, so that a total of 25 were buried in it. The initiator of the construction was Doge Jacopo Tiepolo, whom God allegedly addressed in a dream and told him that this was the place for his preachers. In the early 15th century, numerous Venetian patricians were appointed procurators of Zanipol to ensure completion and decoration. Finally, almost two centuries after the beginning of the works, the church was consecrated on November 14, 1430. The façade is typical of Italian Gothic, vertically divided into three parts with two massive pilasters and a large central rosette, and two smaller ones on both naves. Zanipol houses the works of many famous artists, such as, Giovanni Bellini, Bartolomeo Bon, Piero di Niccolò Lamberti, Giovanni di Martino, Lorenzo Lotto, Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, Veronese (Ascension, Annunciation and Adoration of the Sages on the Ceiling of the Chapel of Rosario and Adoration of the Shepherds also in the Chapel), Bartolomeo Vivarini and many more. An...

Located in Castello it is the principal Dominican church in Venice and one of the largest churches in the city. The first church was built here in 1246 and the present building was completed in 1430. Funeral services for all of Venice's Doges were held here after the 15th century and 25 Doges are buried in the church. The Basilica's chief relic is a foot of Saint Catherine of Siena. Also to be seen here is a miraculous Byzantine icon - Madonna Della Pace.

In addition to the 25 Doges there is also a similar number of dignitaries such as artists, poets and military leaders buried here. With all the tombs and monuments in the Basilica the work of all the leading sculptors of the era are to be seen here. There are also some very fine paintings on view by artists such as Giovanni Bellini, Vivarini and Veronese. The Chapel of the Rosary was built in 1582 to commemorate the victory of Lepanto. It contained paintings by Tintoretto, Titian and Palma the Younger which were destroyed in a fire in 1867.

The Basilica is situated on the picturesque Campo San Giovanni e Paolo beside Rio dei Mendicanti and the beautiful Scuola Grande do San Marco. The 15th century equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni is located next to the church. The Campo is one of the largest in Venice and houses a number of busy...

According to legend, the origins of the basilica are connected to a vision of the doge Jacopo Tiepolo, who donated in 1234 the oratory of San Daniele to the Dominican friars, present in the city for over ten years. Immediately the 13th century church was built, dedicated to the Roman martyrs of the fourth century John and Paul. The increase of the activity of the Dominican friars soon imposed an enlargement, which was directed by the two Dominican friars Benvenuto da Bologna and Nicolò da Imola; the yard was closed in 1343, but the embellishment works lasted almost a century: on November 14, 1430, the church was solemnly consecrated. Since then it has been continuously enriched with sepulchral monuments, paintings and sculptures by the major Venetian artists, until in 1806, at the height of the Napoleonic era, the Dominicans were removed from their convent, transformed into a hospital, and the church was deprived of numerous works of art . In the night between 15 and 16 August 1867 a fire burns the Rosary Chapel completely, together with the paintings that were kept there. The restoration of this chapel...