Church and Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore

The important Benedictine monastery, headquarter of the Fondazione «Giorgio Cini» from 1951, rises on the little namesake island with a complex set of surroundings realized under the project of Andrea Palladio and organized around the church and the two cloisters.

The island of San Giorgio was at its height splendor between 1500 and 1600, thanks to works by artists such as Palladio, Carpaccio, Veronese, Tintoretto and Longhena, who all contributed to the transformation of the monumental complex.
In 1800, in the in the conclave’s hall of the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, Cardinal Barnaba Chiaramonte was declared pope under the name of Pio VII.
In 1851, thanks to Vittorio Cini, was born the Foundation Giorgio Cini, one of the most internationally considered Venetian cultural foundation.
In 1954 in the island it was inaugurated the Teatro Verde, amazing example of “Teatro di verzura” (an outdoor theatre located on the southern side of the garden) situated in the heart of the gardens of the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, overlooking the Venetian lagoon.
From the bell tower, buit in 1791 as replacement of the 15th century’s one, you can enjoy an extraordinary panoramic view on Saint Mark’s basin.

The classical noble façade church, by Andrea Palladio (1566-83), was completed only in 1611, after the death of the artist.
The impressiveness and magnificence of the building, with some renovations from 15th to 17th century also by Giovanni and Andrea Buora and Baldassarre Longhena, brings to life the spatial emotion of the ancient Romanic buildings, from which Palladio took inspiration.
san giorgio maggiore The interior of the church, a Latin plan with three naves, treasures works by masters such as Jacopo Tintoretto, Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Sebastiano Ricci, Carpaccio.
Very important is the presbytery with two masterpieces by Tintoretto: L’Ultima Cena and Il Cader della Manna and the altar with S. Giorgio che uccide il drago, canvas by Vittore Carpaccio (1516).