San Giovanni di Malta, Renaissance church in Castello district, Venice, Italy.
San Giovanni di Malta is a Renaissance church in Venice's Castello district, featuring a long nave with a timber and brick ceiling. The interior holds five altars decorated with 18th-century paintings depicting religious figures, arranged throughout the space.
This building was founded in 1187 by the Knights Templar and later rebuilt between 1498 and 1505 under Grand Prior Fra Sebastiano Michiel's direction. That reconstruction shaped its present Renaissance character.
The church holds religious artworks that visitors encounter while moving through the space, reflecting its role as a place of worship and artistic display. Local residents and pilgrims have gathered here for centuries to pray before these paintings and sculptures.
This building opens only occasionally, mainly during major art events like the Venice Biennale, so planning ahead is important. Check ahead of your visit to confirm if it will be open on your intended day.
The site includes a chapter house with restored frescoes showing the life of Saint Catherine in detail. Adjacent to the main building stands a 15th-century cloister with a decorated well-head, where knights were once buried with painted coats of arms.
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