The basilica and monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore sit on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore at the edge of Giudecca, facing St. Mark’s Basin. The basilica was designed by Andrea Palladio in 1576 and finished by Vincenzo Scamozzi in 1610. Its beautiful façade is reflected in the vast “piazza d’acqua” (square of water) and is pure Palladio: it has two pediments and four half columns sitting on high bases, Inside, the church has three [naves] and is quite austere and well illuminated. Palladio was inspired by both Classical and fifteenth-century ideals, as well as adapting his design to the spirit of the Counter-Reformation.
In fact, although he normally preferred a central plan, the church of San Giorgio Maggiore has a longitudinal plan, in line with the wishes of the Roman Catholic Church.

The interior is enriched with a magnificent wooden choir and some fine paintings by Tintoretto, among which is the dramatic and visionary Last Supper (1592-1594), a masterpiece painted by this Venetian painter towards the end of his life.

The monastery dates back to the 10th Century, but was rebuilt in the 15th-17th Centuries to designs by, among others, Andrea Palladio and Baldassarre Longhena. Most of the monastery buildings, now completely restored, have housed the Fondazione Giorgio Cini since 1951.

1500 - Is. S.G.M. - rev. 0.1.10