Aerial view of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
San Giorgio Maggiore
Venice, Italy
Part of the San Marco district, San Giorgio Maggiore’s origins date from 790AD
About San Giorgio Maggiore
View of San Marco, Venice, from St Giorgio Maggiore
San Giorgio Maggiore is a beautiful island, the one you can see from St Mark’s Square, and is a short vaporetto ride away from St Mark’s. It is a world away from the bustling crowds.
The San Giorgio Monastery was established in 982. The island’s marshes were drained for building and subsequently the Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore was founded.
The island is best known for its Benedictine church – designed by the famous Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio (who also designed the church Il Redentore on Giudecca). It was built between 1566 and 1610 in the classical Renaissance style. The belltower has a ring of 9 bells in C#.
Today, the gleaming white marble of the church forms the backdrop to views across the lagoon from St Mark’s Square and also the waterfront walkway, Riva degli Schiavoni.
Visiting St Giorgio Maggiore
Useful Information
Location/Waterbus
Vaporetto Line 2
Buy vaporetto waterbus tickets | View timetables, routes & maps
Waterbus stop: St Giorgio Maggiore
Opening Times
The church is open from 9am-7pm every day.
Tickets & Tours
Tours & Tickets: Explore San Giorgio Island with Ticket & Audio Guide. This well rated tour has options to see a selection of different things on the island and in the church including the Giorgio Cini Foundation
Explore San Giorgio Island with Ticket & Audio Guide
Guided tours of the Abbey’s private spaces, available in Italian and English, are available only upon reservation at visite@abbaziasangiorgio.it
St Giorgio Maggiore Art
Orlando Paride, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Two large paintings by Tintoretto – The Last Supper and The Jews in the Desert – can be viewed in the church along with Sebastiano Ricci’s Virgin and Child with Saints -plus paintings by Jacopo and Leandro Bassano.
The Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore has produced a useful file of where the artworks are in the church
Download St Giorgio Maggiore artworks locations from Dropbox (PDF 141kb)
San Giorgio Maggiore is now the headquarters of the Cini Foundation arts foundation which has research programmes dedicated to art, history, music, theatre and drama.
The gardens are worth visiting (they include one designed by Palladio) and the Glass Rooms (Le Stanze del Vetro), a gallery dedicated to exhibiting glass.
Pictured here – the cloisters of San Giorgio Maggiore.
Tip for visiting the island
St Giorgio Maggiore Bell Tower (Campanile)
The church’s bell tower was first built in 1467. This fell in 1774 and was subsequently rebuilt by 1791.
St Giorgio’s belltower gives great views over Venice (arguably the best view of Venice, the lagoon and its islands).
Take the lift (elevator) to the top of San Giorgio’s campanile
The cost of €6 is well worth it.
Powered by GetYourGuide
SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE LOCATION
Hotels & Apts on Venice’s Lagoon Islands
Murano
Hotels & Apartments
Burano
Hotels & Apartments
Lido di Venezia
Hotels & Apartments
Giudecca
Hotels & Apartments
VENICE LAGOON ISLANDS MAP
With Place Markers
_-_Chiostro.jpg){kind=link}
San Marco Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: San Marco
St Mark’s Square
St Mark’s Basilica
St Mark’s Clocktower
St Mark’s Campanile
Doge’s Palace
Piazzetta Di San Marco
Historic Cafes
Museo Correr
Marciana Library
National Archaeological Museum
Olivetti Museum
Bridge Of Sighs
Church Of Santo Stefano
Church Of San Salvatore
Church Of San Moise
Palazzo Grassi
Palazzo Contarini Del Bovolo
Palace Gardens
Music Museum
La Fenice
Harry’s Bar
Fortuny Palace
Fondaco Tedeschi
Santa Croce Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: Santa Croce
Natural History Museum
Papadopoli Gardens
Church Of San Nicola Da Tolentino
San Stae Church
Palazzo Mocenigo
San Giacomo Dell’Orio
Ca’ Pesaro
Cannaregio Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: Cannaregio
Ca D’oro
Campo Dei Mori
Casino Di Venezia
Chiesa Degli Scalzi
Color Library
Madonna Dell’Orto
Marco Polo House
Oratorio Dei Crociferi
Wagner Museum
Venice Ghetto
Santi Apostoli
Scuola Grande Della Misericordia
Santa Maria Dei Miracoli
San Polo Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: San Polo
Rialto Bridge
Rialto Markets
Campo San Polo
Church Of San Polo
Scuola Grande Di San Rocco
San Giacomo Di Rialto
Santa Maria Gloriosa Dei Frari
Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista
Castello Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: Castello
Aqua Alta Bookshop
Scuola Grande Di San Marco
Basilica Dei Santi Giovanni E Paolo
Church Of San Zaccaria
Marinaressa Gardens
Naval Museum
Venice Arsenale
Palazzo Grimani
Riva Degli Schiavoni
Riva Dei Sette Martiri
San Francesco Della Vigna
San Giovanni In Bragora
Santa Maria Della Pieta
Biennale & Giardini
Querini Stampalia
Dorsoduro Attractions
For an overview of the area view the main page: Dorsoduro
Ca’ Rezzonico
Fondamenta Delle Zattere
Gallerie Dell Accademia
Palazzo Cini
Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Ponte Dei Pugni
Punta Della Dogana
San Barnaba
San Pantalon
San Sebastiano
Santa Maria Della Salute
Scuola Grande Dei Carmini
Giudecca
Venice Lagoon Islands
For an overview of the area view the main page: Venice Lagoon Islands
Murano
Burano
La Vignole
Lido Di Venezia
Mazzorbo
San Francesco Del Deserto
San Lazzaro degli Armeni
San Servolo
Sant’Erasmo
San Michele
Lazzaretto Nuovo
Torcello
Chioggia