Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (St. Mary of the Friars), Venice
The Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (St. Mary of the Friars), known locally as "i Frari," is one of the greatest churches of Venice. It stands on the Campo dei Frari at the heart of the San Polo district of the city.
The church is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary (Assunzione della Beata Virgine) and is notable for its many masterpieces of Venetian Renaissance art and monuments to Renaissance sculptors and artists.
The Franciscans were granted land to build a church here in 1250, but the building was not completed until 1338. Work almost immediately began on its much larger replacement, the current church, which took over a century to build. The campanile, the second tallest in the city after that of San Marco, was completed in 1396.
The imposing Frari is built of brick in the Italian Gothic style. The exterior is deliberately plain in accordance with the Franciscan emphasis on poverty and austerity. The interior contains the only rood screen still in place in Venice, and many excellent examples of Renaissance art.
Inside, look for Titian's Madonna di Ca' Pesaro in the left aisle. The Virgin was modeled after the artist's wife, who died in childbirth soon after. Titian's Assumption of the Virgin, over the main altar, was unveiled in 1518. It was not initially accepted by the church because of the innovative style and bright colors, especially Titian's trademark red, which would later make it famous. You can pay your respects to the great artist at Titian's tomb, also housed within the Frari. Titian died in 1576 of the plague.
In the Frari's sacristy is Giovanni Bellini's triptych Madonna and Child with Saints (1488), painted for precisely this spot. The Corner Chapel on the other side of the chancel is graced by Bartolomeo Vivarini's altarpiece St. Mark Enthroned and Saints John the Baptist, Jerome, Peter, and Nicholas (1474).
Other notable works include the odd, pyramid-shaped monument to sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822) on the left aisle and Donatello's John the Baptist, his first documented work in Venice.
| Location: | Campo dei Frari, San Polo, Venice, Italy |
| Vaporetto: | San Tomà (walk straight ahead on Calle del Traghetto, then turn right and left across Campo San Tomà; walk as straight ahead as you can, on Ramo Mandoler, then Calle Larga Prima, and turn right when you reach beginning of Salizzada San Rocco) |
| Phone: | 041-522-2637 |
| Hours: | Mon.-Sat. 9-6, Sun. 1-6 |
| Cost: | €2, €8 with Chorus pass |
| Tours: | Free tours in English are sometimes offered by church volunteers during the high-season months. |
- Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Church of the Frari) - Frommer's
- Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Fodor's
- Basilica di S. Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - IgoUgo user reviews
- The Prince of Venice - Condé Nast Traveler at Concierge.com (on Titian's works in Venice)
Photo used under GFDL.