A journey through sacred art, plague vows, and the living waters of Venice

Across the Lagoon to Giudecca

Every hour, a steamer departs from the Riva degli Schiavoni, crossing the lagoon toward the island of Giudecca. Rising in serene majesty stands Il Redentore, Palladio’s architectural masterpiece and one of Venice’s most powerful symbols of faith and gratitude.

Formerly known as Spinalunga, Giudecca’s name carries layered meanings. In the 9th century, it was assigned (giudicata) as a place of banishment for nobles implicated in the murder of Doge Pietro Tradonico. Some historians trace the island’s name to this episode; others believe it recalls an ancient Jewish settlement.

Redentore — Palladio’s Vow Against the Plague

Designed by Andrea Palladio, Il Redentore was built as a votive offering after the devastating plague of 1575–77.

Its harmonious proportions and classical clarity make the interior even more impressive than that of San Giorgio Maggiore. Light flows through the vast white space, transforming geometry into devotion.

Inside the sacristy are three early Venetian paintings:

• Virgin with the Sleeping Jesus attended by Two Angels — attributed to Alvise Vivarini
• Virgin and Child with Saints John and Catherine
• Virgin and Child with Saints Mark and Francis — traditionally linked to Marco Basaiti, though sometimes attributed to Pasqualino, a modest imitator of Giovanni Bellini

The church’s serene symmetry creates a powerful atmosphere of calm reflection.

The Zattere and the Squero of S. Trovaso

Returning by steamer, one arrives at the Zattere — named after the vast timber rafts once floated down from the Alps and unloaded here.

Following the Rio di S. Trovaso, you encounter one of Venice’s most picturesque sights: a traditional squero (boatyard), preserved to safeguard the craft of gondola-building.

Nearby stands the Church of San Trovaso, home to two striking works by Tintoretto.

The Temptation of St Anthony

At the high altar hangs a small, meticulously finished painting. John Ruskin described it as “marvellously temperate and quiet in treatment” — a rare moment of spiritual stillness.

The Last Supper

In dramatic contrast, the Last Supper in the left transept is turbulent and restless. The chosen moment is when Christ declares:

“One of you shall betray Me.”

Chairs overturned.
An Apostle pouring wine from a rustic flask.
Another lifting the lid of a soup kettle.
A cat lapping at spilled broth.

The sacred scene unfolds amid everyday disorder — intensely human, almost shockingly so.

Palazzo Labia — S. Giobbe — The Ghetti — Gli Scalzi

Palazzo Labia and Tiepolo’s Splendour

From S. Geremia Pier on the Grand Canal, follow the western bank of Cannaregio to Palazzo Labia.

A grand hall on the first floor contains some of the finest surviving Venetian works by Giambattista Tiepolo — theatrical, luminous, and magnificently alive.

S. Giobbe — A Franciscan Sanctuary

Further along lies a quiet, grass-grown campo facing the Ponte Tre Archi, where stands the Franciscan church of San Giobbe, attributed to Pietro Lombardo.

Highlights include:

• A portrait of Doge Cristoforo Moro (school of Giovanni Bellini)
• Marriage of St Catherine by Andrea Previtali
• A triptych by Antonio Vivarini
• Birth of Christ by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo

Doge Moro’s tomb lies before the altar in the chapel dedicated to his friend St Bernardino — a refined testament to Lombardo’s decorative genius.

The Venetian Ghetto

Crossing the Ponte Tre Archi and walking along Cannaregio leads to the historic Venetian Ghetto.

The word Ghetto likely derives from gettando — the casting of metal in the foundries once located here. In 1516, these areas — Ghetto Vecchio and Ghetto Nuovo — were assigned as the compulsory Jewish quarter of Venice.

An inscription near the entrance once proclaimed severe punishments for blasphemy, threatening whip, prison, or galley service, and even offering monetary rewards to informers.

Today, little of the original character remains, yet the atmosphere still carries echoes of confinement, resilience, and cultural endurance.

S. Maria agli Scalzi — Baroque Excess

Near the railway bridge stands Santa Maria di Nazareth, commonly known as Gli Scalzi.

Built between 1648 and 1689 by Baldassare Longhena, its façade was restored in the 19th century. John Ruskin condemned the interior as an excessive display of marble. Yet above, the ceiling bursts into flamboyant life in frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo.

Here rests Ludovico Manin, the last Doge of Venice — a quiet epilogue to a republic that endured for more than a thousand years.

Venice Beyond the Crowds

Giudecca.
Cannaregio.
The Ghetto.
Hidden boatyards and forgotten vows.

Step away from postcard Venice, and another city reveals itself — one of plague churches, human drama, artistic brilliance, and fragile memory.

A Venice that whispers rather than dazzles.