Santa Maria Zobenigo, Baroque church in Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo, Venice, Italy.
Santa Maria Zobenigo is a Baroque church at Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo featuring a distinctive marble facade. The front displays relief maps and statues documenting Admiral Antonio Barbaro's military career rather than showing traditional religious imagery.
The original church was founded in 966 and underwent major reconstruction between 1678 and 1681 under architect Giuseppe Sardi. This renovation transformed it into the Baroque monument visitors encounter today.
The interior holds paintings by Tintoretto and Antonio Zanchi, showing how Venice brought together artists of different eras. These works reflect the city's deep connection to artistic excellence and its role as a patron of creative talent.
The church is open daily and typically accessible in the morning, though checking current hours before visiting is worth doing. Access is straightforward since it sits on the Campo, a central square in Venice that is easy to navigate.
The marble facade contains six detailed relief maps showing territories where Admiral Barbaro served, including places like Candia, Zadar, and Corfu. This geographic display on a church facade is unusual and makes the building a monument to worldly achievement rather than purely religious holiness.
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