The Santa Maria dei Miracoli Church in the Cannaregio district is one of the most beautiful churches in Venice. What is unique about this church, considered to be one the best examples of Venetian Renaissance architecture, is that it was almost entirely designed by one person and therefore forms one architectural whole.
Santa Maria dei Miracoli Church Venice
Address, opening hours and entrance fee
Address: Campiello dei Miracoli, 6075, 30121, Venezia. Phone: +39 041 2750462. Opening hours: From 10:00 to 17:00; Sunday from 10:00 to 17:30. Closed: January 1, Easter, August 15 and December 25. Entrance fee: 3 Euro; free with the Chorus Pass. (Note: Due to the Covid crisis, opening hours may differ from what is indicated here).
History and description
The Santa Maria dei Miracoli Church started its existence because of a small painting in a corner of a simple residential house. Miracles were attributed to the painting, which led to the construction of a wooden chapel. In the 15th century, Pietro Lombardo designed the church as it can be seen today. Construction lasted from 1481 to 1489.
It is one of the few churches in the city that are built and decorated entirely according to the ideas of one single architect. Moreover, it has undergone almost no changes over the centuries.
Residual material from the construction St. Mark’s Basilica were allegedly used for the façade, which is covered with polychrome marble.
Originally, the church was connected to the adjacent monastery by a footbridge. The latter has now been converted into private residences.
The “Madonna and Child” above the entrance is the work of Giorgio Giovanni Lascaris.
What to see
The church consists of a single nave and is entirely decorated with marble inlays. The predominant colors are gray, white and pink.
The coffered ceiling is decorated with 50 images of saints and prophets. The artists were Gerolamo Pennacchi, Vincenzo dalle Destre and Lattanzio da Rimini.
The image that led to the construction of the church was painted by Zanino di Pietro. According to tradition, the painting even once succeeded in bringing a drowned person back to life. Today the church is very popular for weddings.
The four statues inside the church depict Sant’Antonio da Padova, Santa Chiara, the Archangel Gabriel and the Annunciata. The statues were made by the sculptors Tullio Lombardo, Alessandro Vittoria and Nicolò di Pietro.
The two pulpits were made by Lombardo‘s workshop.