Santa Maria dei Miracoli is the favourite church of many Venetians and a popular place to get married in Venice.
This jewel of early Renaissance art in Venice has been built between 1481-1489 by Pietro Lombardo and his sons to protect the miraculous painting of ‘Madonna and Child’ by Nicolo di Pietro.
The painting still can be seen above the main altar in the church.
Incrusted with polished stone and multicolored marble the facade of the building resembles the jewel box.
The construction of the church is simple : a single-aisled nave covered by a barrel vault with a projecting chancel covered by a dome.
The interior walls are covered by white,grey and pink marble and porphyr. The gilded vault from 1528 features casetone boxes with 50 paintings of saints and prophets.
The screen behind the high altar and the balustrade with figures of saints are decorated by Tulio Lombardo. The decorated choir gallery ‘ coro pensile ‘ now connects the church with the neighbour nunnery. The peculiar bas-reliefs of small animals and plants decorate the pilasters of the columns and the lover part of the Miracoli.
Between 1988-1998 Santa Maria dei Miracoli undergone the restoration funded by the Save Venice Inc. American organisation, that helped to renovate more than 200 buildings around Venice.
[ photo : courtesy of A Culinary (Photo) Journal ]
Guides: venice
