Chiesa Del Redentore

Lonely Planet review

With the passing of a bout of plague in 1577, the Senato commissioned Palladio to design a church of thanksgiving. The following year, the doge, members of the Senato and a host of citizens made the first pilgrimage of thanksgiving, crossing from Zattere on a pontoon bridge of boats and rafts.

Work on this magnificent edifice was completed under Antonio da Ponte (known for his Ponte di Rialto) in 1592. The long church was designed to accommodate the large numbers of pilgrims who, from 1578 onwards, made the annual excursion. The pilgrimage still takes place on the third Saturday in July, and it remains one of the most important events on Venice's calendar.

Inside the church are a few works by Tintoretto, Veronese and Vivarini, but it is the powerful façade that most impresses. The site's open position makes the church easy to admire from just about anywhere on the Fondamenta Zattere across the Canale della Giudecca.