Church of Santa Maria Assunta i Gesuiti

A gloriously ornate church, the Jesuits came back to Venice with a bold statement following a period of banishment. A church had occupied the space from the 12th century, but in the 1600s when the Jesuits were invited to come back to Venice, the city sold the church, hospital and monastery for a token sum, and the order started restructuring. The new church was finished and dedicated in 1728.

Richly decorated in opulent Baroque style, the facade was a gift from the Manin family. Inside, the details are breathtaking, with ornate marble and fanciful stucco sculptural details. You have to see it to believe it!

Built in "typical" Jesuit design on a Latin cross plan, it has a single nave with three chapels on each side, and a transept with two more chapels. It is bright and airy and the artistic details are gorgeous. The most acclaimed works are paintings by noted Venetian artists - the Assumption of Mary by Tintoretto, and the Martyrdom of St Lawrence by Titian. But the sculptures of the Archangels by Giuseppe Torretti are equally noteworthy, as are the ceiling frescoes by Francesco Fontebasso, which are highlighted by gilded "frames". In the sacristy is a cycle of 20 paintings by Jacopo Palma Il Giovane.

The church is open from 10:00 AM til 12:00 PM and from 4:00 PM til 6:00 PM daily.