Church of Santa Maria del Rosario (Gesuati)

Travel Date:

Sunday, 25th May 2014

The Church of Gesuati is seen across Fondamenta Sant'Eufemia street in Giudecca island, Venice.

More info about Church of Santa Maria del Rosario

It is the biggest conventual complex of XVIII century Venice, was built between 1726 and 1735 for the Dominicans, to take the place of the small church, still existing alongside, that had become too small for the faithful. The Dominicans took over the Gesuati (from which the name of the church derives) in 1668, when the order was suppressed. Giorgio Massari was the architect who designed the church and the internal decoration, with the help of two great artists of the time: Giambattista Tiepolo and Gian Maria Morlaiter; the three gained justifiable local fame for the tremendous work done here.

The interior of the building strikes for its harmony: particularly interesting is the ceiling decorated by Giambattista Tiepolo with three frescoes representing The apparition of the Virgin to St. Dominic, The institution of the rosary and The glory of St. Dominic together with various monochromes. These, together with the other works of art housed in the church, make this one of the most interesting and complete examples of Venetian XVIII century art: other important artists such as Giambattista Piazzetta, Sebastiano Ricci and Gian Maria Morlaiter also worked there. Of great importance is also an altarpiece by Jacopo Tintoretto, restored by Giambattista Piazzetta, depicting the Crucifixion, which comes from the old church.

Source: chorusvenezia.org

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