Basilica di San Marco (Michelin)
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Basilica di San Marco (Michelin) |
Churches and chapels galore: the amount of sacred space within the city limits of Venice is astounding. The city is founded on sacred ground, according to the miraculous vision of St. Mark. His body is now housed in the Basilica di San Marco, one of the largest, most decorative symbols of Venetian religion. |
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Santa Maria della Salute (University of Michigan)
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Sacred space defined and affected much of the city’s physical layout and development. Neighborhoods crowd around campos or squares, which each have their own church. Churches have also been used throughout Venice’s history as commemorative symbols. The Santa Maria della Salute in Dorsoduro and the monument for Titan at the Friari in San Polo, are both symbols of Venice’s triumph over the Plague. Monument for Titan, Frari (Freefoto) |
| Sacred space also reflects the power of exclusion and separation of space in the Venetian landscape. The Jesuits were confined to a parcel of land in San Polo, where they constructed their places of worship, the San Zanipolo and Santa Maria Glorisa dei Frari. The Jewish community of Venice left its imprint on the Venetian spiritual landscape when it was herded into the Ghetto Nuovo in 1516. A high concentration of synagogues reflects their addition to the spiritual island. Completely separated from the city is the Isola di San Michele, an island purely reserved for burying the dead. |
San Michele Cemetery
(Free Foto) |
