Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Servi, Gothic religious building in Cannaregio, Venice, Italy
Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Servi was a Gothic church building in Cannaregio featuring a large central nave without side aisles and two apsidal chapels at the far end. The building held twenty-three separate altars distributed throughout its interior.
Founded in 1316 as a monastery of the Servite Order, construction began in 1330 and the building was consecrated on November 7, 1491. It stood for over 300 years until the Napoleonic era brought major changes.
The Lucchesi Chapel contains ceiling frescoes showing Church Fathers and symbols of the Evangelists, created by artist Nicolò Semitecolo. These paintings show the kind of religious decoration that once adorned this space.
Most of the church was demolished in 1812 during Napoleonic suppression, though the Lucchesi Chapel and several Gothic portals survived the destruction. Today you can see these remaining elements scattered around the Cannaregio area.
The monastery complex occupied a large area that included dormitories, a dining hall, cloisters, and orchards alongside the church building. This arrangement shows how religious communities were entirely self-contained within a single compound.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
