SUBSCRIBE: – Let’s visit one of Venice’s most spectacular church, the Jesuit (Gesuiti) church of our Lady of the Assumption (Santa Maria Assunta). This glitzy 18th-century Jesuit church is difficult to take in all at once, with a spectacular pulpit , white-and-green marble, beautifully decorated walls while the ceiling is a riot of gold-and-white stuccowork. Titian’s uncharacteristically gloomy Martyrdom of St Lawrence, on the left as you enter the church, is the highlight of the visit.
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient ruins. Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s “David” and Brunelleschi’s Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.
Vic Stefanu, vstefanu@yahoo.com