Santi Apostoli, Venice
Encyclopedia
The Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli di Cristo (Church of the Holy Apostles of Christ), commonly called San Apostoli, is a 7th century Roman Catholic church located in the Cannaregio
sestiere
of the Italian city of Venice
. It is one of the oldest churches in the city and has undergone numerous changes since its foundation. The present building is the result of a major reconstruction project which was undertaken in 1575. The church is notable particularly for the Cornaro Chapel, an important example of Early Renaissance architecture, added by Mauro Codussi
during the 1490s. The chapel is the burial place of several members of the powerful Cornaro family, including Catherine Cornaro
, Queen of Cyprus
. The church houses several works of art including pieces by Giambattista Tiepolo and Paolo Veronese
.
was not yet a city, but a collection of small communities scattered throughout the lagoon
. St Magnus
, the Bishop of Oderzo
, came to the lagoon and founded eight churches. According to a legend recounted by the historian Flaminio Cornaro, St. Magnus had a vision of the Twelve Apostles
who commanded him to build a church on a site where he saw twelve crane
s. This location, eventually to be in the sestiere
of Cannaregio
, became the site of the church of San Apostoli. The church presently stands on the Campo dei Santi Apostoli at the beginning of the Strada Nuova (New Road).
During the 1490s the Cappella Cornaro, built as a burial place for the wealthy Venetian Cornaro family, was added to the church. It is considered one of the most important Early Renaissance chapels in Venice. It is unknown exactly who designed the chapel, although it is most often attributed to the architect Mauro Codussi
. At the same time a porch was added to the front of the church and a sacristy was built. These alterations were also overseen by Codussi.
In the middle of the 16th century the church briefly housed the Catecumeni, a Venetian fraternity for those wishing to convert to Christianity, before they established a permanent home at San Gregorio in 1571. Shortly after this, in 1575, the church was completely rebuilt. Only parts of the earlier structure were retained, including some fresco
s and the Corner Chapel.
During the early 18th century Andrea Tirali
added detailing, including the onion dome, to the campanile which itself had been a late 17th century addition.
and his sister Catherine Cornaro
, the Queen of Cyprus
. The charitable organisation Save Venice funded the restoration of the chapel, including the relief carvings.
Cannaregio
Cannaregio is the northernmost of the six historic sestieri of Venice. It is the second largest sestiere by land area and the largest by population, with 13,169 people as of 2007....
sestiere
Sestiere
A sestiere is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from sesto, or sixth; and is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example are the sestieri of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, Milan and Rapallo, for example, were also divided into sestieri...
of the Italian city of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. It is one of the oldest churches in the city and has undergone numerous changes since its foundation. The present building is the result of a major reconstruction project which was undertaken in 1575. The church is notable particularly for the Cornaro Chapel, an important example of Early Renaissance architecture, added by Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi was an Italian architect of the early-Renaissance, active mostly in Venice. The name can also be spelt Coducci. He was one of the first to bring the classical syle of the early renaissance to Venice to replace the prevalent Gothic style.Born near Bergamo about 1440, he is first...
during the 1490s. The chapel is the burial place of several members of the powerful Cornaro family, including Catherine Cornaro
Catherine Cornaro
Nobil Donna Catherine Cornaro was Queen of Cyprus from 1474 to 1489 and declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband, James II .-Family:She was born in Venice in 1454 and was the daughter of a well-known and powerful family of...
, Queen of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. The church houses several works of art including pieces by Giambattista Tiepolo and Paolo Veronese
Paolo Veronese
Paolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi...
.
History
In the 7th century VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
was not yet a city, but a collection of small communities scattered throughout the lagoon
Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian Lagoon is the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea in which the city of Venice is situated. Its name in the Venetian language, Laguna Veneta— cognate of Latin lacus, "lake"— has provided the international name for an enclosed, shallow embayment of saltwater, a lagoon.The Venetian Lagoon...
. St Magnus
Magnus of Oderzo
Saint Magnus of Oderzo was a 7th century Italian saint who is notable for founding some of the earliest churches in Venice. He was Bishop of Oderzo and travelled to Venice where he founded the churches of Santi Apostoli, San Pietro di Castello, Santa Maria Formosa, Santa Guistina, San Giovanni in...
, the Bishop of Oderzo
Oderzo
Oderzo is a town and comune in the province of Treviso, Veneto, northern Italy.It lies in the heart of the Venetian plain, about 66 km to the northeast of Venice...
, came to the lagoon and founded eight churches. According to a legend recounted by the historian Flaminio Cornaro, St. Magnus had a vision of the Twelve Apostles
Apostle (Christian)
The term apostle is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος , meaning one who is sent away, from στέλλω + από . The literal meaning in English is therefore an "emissary", from the Latin mitto + ex...
who commanded him to build a church on a site where he saw twelve crane
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
s. This location, eventually to be in the sestiere
Sestiere
A sestiere is a subdivision of certain Italian towns and cities. The word is from sesto, or sixth; and is thus used only for towns divided into six districts. The best-known example are the sestieri of Venice, but Ascoli Piceno, Genoa, Milan and Rapallo, for example, were also divided into sestieri...
of Cannaregio
Cannaregio
Cannaregio is the northernmost of the six historic sestieri of Venice. It is the second largest sestiere by land area and the largest by population, with 13,169 people as of 2007....
, became the site of the church of San Apostoli. The church presently stands on the Campo dei Santi Apostoli at the beginning of the Strada Nuova (New Road).
During the 1490s the Cappella Cornaro, built as a burial place for the wealthy Venetian Cornaro family, was added to the church. It is considered one of the most important Early Renaissance chapels in Venice. It is unknown exactly who designed the chapel, although it is most often attributed to the architect Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi
Mauro Codussi was an Italian architect of the early-Renaissance, active mostly in Venice. The name can also be spelt Coducci. He was one of the first to bring the classical syle of the early renaissance to Venice to replace the prevalent Gothic style.Born near Bergamo about 1440, he is first...
. At the same time a porch was added to the front of the church and a sacristy was built. These alterations were also overseen by Codussi.
In the middle of the 16th century the church briefly housed the Catecumeni, a Venetian fraternity for those wishing to convert to Christianity, before they established a permanent home at San Gregorio in 1571. Shortly after this, in 1575, the church was completely rebuilt. Only parts of the earlier structure were retained, including some fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s and the Corner Chapel.
During the early 18th century Andrea Tirali
Andrea Tirali
Andrea Tirali was an Italian architect working in Venice and the Veneto. He is known to have worked at Villa Duodo and the Chiesa and Convento di San Nicolò at Tolentino, at Villa Duodo he added to the work of Vincenzo Scamozzi...
added detailing, including the onion dome, to the campanile which itself had been a late 17th century addition.
Interior
The church retains its 16th century layout: a single nave supported by two rows of columns.Cornaro Chapel
The chapel is the burial place of several members of the Cornaro family, including Giorgio CornaroGiorgio Cornaro
Nobil Huomo Giorgio Cornaro, called "Padre della Patria" , Cavaliere del Sacro Romano Impero, Patrizio Veneto, Podesta of Brescia in 1496, Procurator of San Marco....
and his sister Catherine Cornaro
Catherine Cornaro
Nobil Donna Catherine Cornaro was Queen of Cyprus from 1474 to 1489 and declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband, James II .-Family:She was born in Venice in 1454 and was the daughter of a well-known and powerful family of...
, the Queen of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. The charitable organisation Save Venice funded the restoration of the chapel, including the relief carvings.
Art
The church contains a number of paintings, including:- Giambattista Tiepolo, Last Communion of St. Lucy, 1747–48
- Paolo VeronesePaolo VeronesePaolo Veronese was an Italian painter of the Renaissance in Venice, famous for paintings such as The Wedding at Cana and The Feast in the House of Levi...
, Gathering of Manna, 1580–85. - Giovanni ContariniGiovanni ContariniGiovanni Contarini was a Venetian painter of the late Renaissance.Born in Venice Contarini was a contemporary of Palma il Giovane. He was a great student of the works of Tintoretto and Titian and is declared to have been an exact imitator of Titian...
, Birth of the Virgin, 1599 - Cesare da Conegliano, Last Supper, 1583
- Fabio Canal, Communion of the Apostles and the Triumph of the Eucharist, 7th century.
- Sebastiano SantiSebastiano SantiSebastiano Santi Sebastiano Santi Sebastiano Santi (1788-1866 was an Italian painter, active both in oil and frescoes. He was born in Venice. His works are to be found in the Venetian churches.-References:...
, Christ between the Apostles, 1828