Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari

Date
1340-1469
Work Type
church
Material/Technique
brick
marble

This church of the Franciscans is one of the largest in Venice; only San Giovanni e Paolo (Zanipolo) the church of the Dominicans is larger. Land was given to the order in 1250 and the first church was completed 1338. The current church was begun 1340, absorbing parts of the original and completed by 1469. It has been suggested that the plans may be those of Scipione Bon, a friar, but with no solid evidence. Nicolas Pisano was suggested as the architect by Vasari, however this has been dismissed by current scholarship. The monastery beside the church has been taken over by the Archivio di Stato di Venezia and houses its collection. The Frari interior is impressive; a Latin cross with transepts and aisles divided by 12 massive piers. In the center of the nave, the old monks choir, carved in wood, is intact and is the only surviving example standing in original piece and place. The only sculpture by Donatello in Venice is to be found in the Chapel of the Florentines.

References

Lorenzetti, Venice and Its Lagoon: Historical-Artistic Guide (Rome: Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, 1961) as translated and with supplementary content by Taryn Marie Zarrillo, 2012/13

Contains information from the J. Paul Getty Trust, Getty Research Institute – the Art & Architecture Thesaurus, the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names, the Union List of Artist Names, the Cultural Objects Name Authority, and/or the Getty Iconography Authority – which is made available under the ODC Attribution License.
View on the Getty Vocabularies.
  • Panorama Tour
  • View of southeast transept, from northwest transept
  • View of northwest transept, from crossing (left to right: Monumento funebre a Paolo Savelli, Monumento a Benedetto Pesaro, Monumento al beato Pacifico)
  • View of choir stalls toward the nave, facing southwest from the crossing
  • View of choir stalls toward the nave, facing southwest from the crossing
  • View of apse from the crossing, facing southwest
  • Looking up the apse from the crossing, facing southwest
  • View of apse (left) and Doge Niccolò Tron funerary monument (right) from the crossing, facing south
  • View of choir stalls behind iconostasis toward the nave, facing southwest
  • View of groin vaults above choir, facing southeast
  • View of groin vault above choir, facing southeast
  • View of Pala Pesaro (center) and Jacopo Pesaro funerary monument (right) in the left aisle from the nave, facing southeast
  • View of Pala Pesaro (left) and Jacopo Pesaro funerary monument (center) from the nave, facing south
  • View of Pala Pesaro (left) and Jacopo Pesaro funerary monument (center) from the nave, facing south
  • View of Pala Pesaro from the nave, facing south
  • View of Pala Pesaro from the nave, facing south
  • View of Pala Pesaro from the nave, facing south
  • View of The Miracle of St. Joseph of Cupertino altarpiece from the nave, facing northwest
  • View of front entrance wall from the nave, facing southwest
  • View of iconostasis from the nave, facing northeast
  • View of front entrance wall from the nave, facing southwest
  • View of left aisle from the nave, facing south
  • View of left aisle from the nave, facing south
  • Looking up groin vaults in the nave, facing southeast
  • View of front entrance wall from the nave, facing southwest
  • View of front entrance wall from the nave, facing southwest
  • View of the nave toward the iconostasis, facing southwest
  • View of the nave toward the iconostasis, facing southwest
  • View of the nave toward the iconostasis, facing southwest
  • View of monument to Canova in the left aisle, from the nave, facing east
  • Looking up the main facade, from northeast
  • Looking up the main facade, from northeast
  • Looking up frescoed lunette above portal on main facade, from northeast
  • Looking up decorative sculptures above portal on main facade, from northeast
  • View of standing stone on the left of main portal, from northeast
  • View of standing stone on the left of main portal, from northeast
  • Detail of main portal, from northeast
  • View of monument on the right transept, from south
  • View of altar in Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of altar in Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist statue in its chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist statue in its chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist statue in its chapel (first on the right), facing south
  • Detail of gate in Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Saint John the Baptist chapel (first on the right), facing southwest
  • View of Assumption altarpiece in the apse from the crossing, facing southwest
  • View of Assumption altarpiece in the apse from the crossing, facing southwest
  • View of the back of statues on top of the iconostasis from the choir, facing northeast
  • Detail of choir stalls, facing southeast
  • Detail of iconostasis from behind and choir stalls, facing northeast
  • View of wooden beam crossing the choir
  • View of Pala Pesaro, facing east
  • View of Pala Pesaro, facing east
  • Looking up the pulpit on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, first from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Looking up the groin vaults behind the iconostasis above the choir, facing southwest
  • Looking up the groin vaults behind the iconostasis above the choir, facing southwest
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, second from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, second from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, third from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, third from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, fourth from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, fourth from the left) on the left side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, first from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, second from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of iconostasis arch from the nave, facing south
  • View of iconostasis arch and organ behind, facing south
  • View of the organ through the iconostasis arch, facing south
  • View of iconostasis arch and organ behind, facing south
  • View of choir stalls through the iconostasis arch, facing south
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, second from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (upper row, third from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, fourth from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, third from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, third from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, second from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Detail of sculptural relief (bottom row, first from the right) on the right side of the iconostasis, from northeast
  • Looking up the statues on the left side of the iconostasis, facing southwest
  • Looking up the statues above the iconostasis arch, facing west
  • Looking up the statues above the iconostasis arch, facing west
  • Looking up the statues on the right side of the iconostasis, facing west
  • Looking up the exterior apse of the church and the bell tower from San Rocco calle, facing northeast
  • View of the exterior apse of the church from San Rocco calle, facing northeast
  • View from northwestern area of campo, between the church and scuola
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of Nave and Monument to Doge Giovanni Pesaro
    Interior: View of Nave and Monument to Doge Giovanni Pesaro
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of Nave and Pesaro Altarpiece
    Interior: View of Nave and Pesaro Altarpiece
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View South Aisle Paintings
    Interior: View South Aisle Paintings
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of South Nave
    Interior: View of South Nave
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of South Nave and Barbaro Monument
    Interior: View of South Nave
  • Interior: High Altar
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Baptistry
    Interior: Chapel of Saint Mark (Corner Chapel)
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Chapel of the Milanese
    Interior: Chapel of the Milanese
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of St Michaels Chapel
    Interior: View of St Michael's Chapel
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of the Chapel of Franciscan Saints
    Interior: View of the Chapel of Franciscan Saints
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of Chapel of St John the Baptist
    Interior: View of Chapel of St John the Baptist
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of the Chapel of the Sacrament
    Interior: View of the Chapel of the Sacrament
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: View of Bernardo Chapel
    Interior: View of Bernardo Chapel
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Choir
    Interior: Choir
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Crossing
    Interior: Crossing
  • Exterior: Northeastern Façade (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Nave
    Interior: Nave
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Nave
    Interior: Nave
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Nave View with Canova Monument
    Interior: Nave View with Canova Monument
  • Interior: Altar in Sacristy
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: Sacristy Altarpiece by Bellini
    Interior: Sacristy Altarpiece
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Interior: North Transept (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
    Interior: North Transept (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Exterior: Southeast Nave Façade (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
    Exterior: Southeast Nave Façade (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
  • Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari - Exterior: Campo, Eastern Corner of Church (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
    Exterior: Campo, Eastern Corner of Church (Church Plan Faces Southwest)
  • Scuola Grande di San Rocco - Exterior: View of the Main Facade from Campo
    Exterior: View from Campo San Rocco
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