What is there
to see?

You enter the basilica via a wide, three-winged staircase – an impressive introduction to the building.

A distinctive feature is its double dome, which rises to around 53 metres. The larger dome is said to symbolise the crown of the Rosary. From afar, you can spot the dome’s pinnacle – and if you look closely, or use your camera’s zoom, you’ll notice that it’s topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary.

This is Mary as the Immaculata (the Immaculate One), surrounded by a halo of twelve stars, representing either the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve apostles. She is not depicted here just once, however – you’ll find her portrayed several times on the façade and inside the basilica.

One particularly famous image of Mary can be admired at the high altar: the painting of the Mesopanditissa, also known as the Madonna della Salute. It depicts a dark-skinned Virgin Mary, wearing a red dress and crown, holding the dark-skinned Christ Child, who also wears a crown. The little Jesus makes the traditional Trinitarian gesture of blessing – with his thumb, index and middle finger extended, and his ring and little finger folded.

Mesopanditissa means “Mediator of Peace”, as the painting commemorates the end of the long war with the island of Candia, in which the Venetians had been involved for sixty years. The image dates from 1670 and was brought from Crete to Venice.

(→ A dark-skinned Madonna and Child can also be seen in sculpture form at Montserrat, near Barcelona.)

Also at the high altar stands the Virgin and Child within a sculptural group by Giusto Le Court (1627, Ypres – 1679, Venice). To her left, a small angel drives away the plague with a torch, while the kneeling figure to her right represents the City of Venice itself. The Flemish sculptor – also known as Josse de Corte – lived in Venice for many years, and this group is considered one of his masterpieces. He also adorned several other Venetian churches – for instance, the Atlantes of the Church of the Ospedaletto (Santa Maria dei Derelitti), located right next to the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

The church’s interior consists of a bright, circular space with six side chapels. The marble floor shines with an intricate mosaic pattern, above which hangs an elegant chandelier. Light filters in through the windows of the dome and the large windows of the side chapels. Each chapel contains various artworks and altars, most of which tell stories from the life of the Virgin Mary. For example, the Altar of the Birth of the Madonna depicts scenes from her life, including her birth. Another altar is dedicated to her Assumption, and yet another portrays Mary’s presentation in the temple.

The basilica impresses with its abundance of sculptures, statues, and finely detailed decorative elements. The dome and interior walls are adorned with frescoes and reliefs illustrating biblical events and religious themes. You’ll also find six paintings by Titian within the church.