CHURCHES OF VENICE : The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari ~ ♥ A L E X ♥ I N ♥ I T A L Y ♥

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, usually just called the Frari, is a church in Venice, northern Italy. One of the greatest churches in the city, it has the status of a minor basilica. It stands on the Campo dei Frari at the heart of the San Polo district. The church is dedicated to theAssumption (Italian: Assunzione della Beata Virgine).

The Franciscans were granted land to build a church 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 edifice is built of brick, and is one of the city's three notable churches built in the Italian Gothic style. As with many Venetian churches, the exterior is rather plain. The interior contains the only rood screen still in place in Venice.

The Frari is a parish church of the Vicariate of San Polo-Santa Croce-Dorsoduro. The other churches of the parish are San Barnaba, San Ludovico Vescovo, Santa Maria del Soccorso and Santa Margherita.

Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490[1] – 27 August 1576[2] better known as Titian ( /ˈtɪʃən/) - the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school of painting - is interred in the Frari.

(Photo credit: dellaert)

Santa maria dei Frari (Photo credit: Dark Botxy)

Inside Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (Photo credit: HarshLight)

“One of the most beautiful places in Italy!”

This church is indescribably beautiful with extraordinary art. Some of the great sculptures of Italian art are found here even if they are religious and where else can one see Donatello and Titian for free?

“Worth it for Titian's Masterpiece Alone....”

...but there are other fabulous works of art in addition to the Assumption of the Virgin hanging in situ above the alter. It's on a nice big campo, an interesting walk from the Rialto Bridge. Just behind the church is the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. The two make a great reason to visit an area a bit off the beaten path.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari or St. Mary of the Friars

Campo dei Frari | San Polo, 30135 Venice, Italy

041-522-2637

Ranked #2 of 185 attractions in Venice

Type: Religious Sites, Landmarks/ Points of Interest, Historic Sites

Owner description: Originally built in the mid-13th century, Santa Maria dei Frari (St. Mary of the Friars) houses many masterpieces of Venetian Renaissance art, notably Giovanni Bellini's triptych "Madonna and Child with Saints," and the "Pesaro Madonna" by Titian, who is buried in the church.