Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice 
Detail of I Frari's tower and facade. Photo by Anton Bawab.
See many more photos in our I Frari Photo Gallery.
Photo by r_lizzimore.
Interior view from the nave, looking east. Photo © Paradoxplace.com.
Altar with Titian's Assumption of the Virgin. Photo © Paradoxplace.com.
The splendid Gothic choir stalls. Photo by Anton Bawab.
Madonna Enthroned by Bartolomeo Vivarini (1482).
Franciscan Martyrs by Licinio (1524).
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.
History
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.
What to See
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 is light and spacious. It contains the only rood screen still in place in Venice and many excellent examples of Renaissance art.
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. You can pay your respects to the artist at Titian's tomb, housed within the Frari. Titian died in 1576 of the plague.
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.
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.
| Names: | Basilica di S. Maria Gloriosa dei Frari; I Frari; Basilica dei Frari; St Mary of the Friars |
| Type of site: | Catholic church |
| 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. |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari in Venice. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Venice Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Frommer's Northern Italy
- Fodor's Venice and the Venetian Arc
- The Prince of Venice - Condé Nast Traveler (on Titian's works)
