Redeemer Church

It is impossible to tell the story of the Redeemer Church without mentioning the historical fact from which it all began. In 1575 Venice was the victim of a terrible plague epidemic that caused 50,000 deaths in two years. While the epidemic seemed to be invincible, the town Senate made a vow: it would build a new church dedicated to the Redeemer if the plague came to an end. In May of 1577 the first foundation stone was laid based on the design by Andrea Palladio. On July, 20, of that year the end of the plague was celebrated with a procession that reached the church over a pontoon bridge, starting a tradition that continues even today.

The Redeemer Church was destined tothe Capuchin fathers, who decided on both the floor plan and to avoid the use of valuable materials, preferring brick and terracotta. The layout of the church comes from the harmonic composition of four spatial divisions: the rectangle of the nave, the side chapels in a narthex shape, the tripartite cell composed of two apses and a curved series of columns and choir area.