Giudecca – Renaissance, Fortuny and Venetian Waterways

Renaissance, Art and Industry

Giudecca’s visible history brings together Renaissance architecture, textile industry and Venetian waterways. The Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore, the Fortuny factory and the Giudecca Canal each represent different aspects of the destination. This picture is complemented by the Festa del Redentore, art-historical visits and routes linking several churches and viewpoints.

The Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore was commissioned from Andrea Palladio in 1577 on the initiative of the Republic’s Senate and is considered one of the most significant architectural masterpieces of the Renaissance. Together with its sacristy, it preserves works by Paolo Veronese, Jacopo Tintoretto and Francesco Bassano.

For specific day planning, the Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore offers art-historical visits from Monday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fortuny also offers visits on set dates: free cultural tours take place at the Giudecca headquarters on the first and last Wednesday of each month. They include the Fortuny Palazzina, the showroom, the garden and the boutique. This allows sacred art and textile design to be included in different types of visits.

Industrial History on the Water

Fortuny’s history in Giudecca dates back to the summer of 1922, when Fortuny and Henriette Negrin opened the factory. The same factory is still in operation today. The Molino Stucky adds another historical accent: it produced more than 2,500 quintals of flour every day and thus represents the industrial dimension that is also part of Giudecca’s character.

Festa del Redentore and the Giudecca Canal

The Festa del Redentore is centered on the Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore and takes place on the third Sunday in July. The celebrations include regattas on the Giudecca Canal, including gondola races as part of the Voga alla Veneta rowing season. This makes it possible to take the festival date and the regattas on the Giudecca Canal into account together when planning a trip.

The UNESCO World Heritage site “Venice and its Lagoon” includes the Giudecca Canal as part of Venice’s network of urban waterways.

Routes for Your Discovery

The official Giudecca island route includes the Chiesa dei Santi Cosma e Damiano, the Chiesa di Sant'Eufemia and the chiesa delle Zitelle. These three churches give the island route a clear cultural and historical focus. For your planning, the route thus brings together three sacred buildings on Giudecca.

The “Giudecca Island, beauty on water” route runs across Giudecca and San Giorgio Maggiore and ends with a panoramic view of the city and its lagoon from the 75-meter-high bell tower of San Giorgio.

For cultural offerings, weekdays and monthly dates matter; the island route remains on Giudecca, while the second route includes San Giorgio Maggiore.

Further Destinations

Further destinations: Favaro Veneto, Alberoni, Altino, Mestre, Trivignano, Tessera, Dese, Campalto

To the higher-level travel overview: Venice.