The Cathedral of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, is certainly one of the most most famous cathedrals in Venice. It stands on the square of the same name in the San Marco neighbourhood. The cathedral is more commonly referred to as simply Frari.
The history of the basilica goes back to the 12th century, when in the territory of the Apennine peninsula. Apennine peninsula was the birthplace of a religious movement that had a great influence on Italian history and culture. great influence on the history of Italy and the culture of many nations. The founder of this doctrine was Francis of Assisi. In 1222, in Venice. his first followers appeared in Venice, and a couple of years later, they got the doge's permission to build a church. The architect chosen by the Franciscans was the famous Nicolo Pisano. Nicolò Pisano, who built the church and the convent, consecrated in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Gloriosa. And the name Frari was given to it by the Franciscans themselves, the lesser brothers, the Minorites. which in Italian sounds like "Frati" (eventually distorted to "Frari").
The number of followers of St Francis of Assisi grew steadily, and already in the 1250, it was decided to build a new church, as the old one could not accommodate all the the old church could not accommodate all those who wished to attend. But construction didn't begin until 1330, and it was completed more than a hundred years later in 1443. Half a century later, the cathedral was consecrated in honour of the Ascension of Our Lady. Until 1810, when Napoleon banned religious orders. religious orders, Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari was one of the most popular churches. At the beginning of the 19th century, it became a parish church. the number of parishioners. The first major restoration of the cathedral between 1902 and 1912, and in 1926, the 700th anniversary of the death of Francis of Assisi. Francis of Assisi, Pope Pius XI granted it the status of minor basilica.
To the right of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari is the building of a former convent "Ca' Grande dei Frari", which was active for six and a half centuries. and gave Italy two popes, Sixtus IV and Sixtus V. In 1810, the convent was converted into barracks, and a couple of years later it was converted into a state archive. as a state archive. Today it holds over 700 million documents, relating to the history of Venice. Next to the Ca' Grande dei Frari, you can see a gallery "Abode of the Holy Trinity", which was designed by Andrea Palladio.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari itself is built in the shape of a Latin cross with a central nave and two side aisles separated from each other by a colonnade of 12 massive columns. by a colonnade of 12 massive columns. The brick church is built in the style Italian Gothic style, and its façade is decorated with capitals, pilasters and pinnacles in Venetian-Byzantine style. Venetian-Byzantine style. At the main portal from the 14th-15th centuries can be seen the white statues of the Resurrection of Christ, the Virgin Mary and Francis of Assisi. To the left are four more side entrances. In 1396, next to the cathedral, a 70-metre high brick was erected. In 1396, a 70 metre high brick bell tower was erected next to the cathedral, which is the second highest in Venice after the belfry of the cathedral. Venice after the bell tower of San Marco Cathedral. At its very top there is a observation deck, which offers a spectacular view of the "city on the water".
The interior of the cathedral is decorated with numerous works of art - these are sculptures of saints, monuments to famous Venetians, including Doges and military leaders, paintings of great Venetians, and paintings of great Venetians. warlords, paintings by great painters, magnificent altars, mouldings and frescoes. Among the sights of the church it is worth highlighting the monument to Doge Giovanni Pesaro, made of multi-coloured marble in the Baroque style, paintings by Titian "Madonna of Pesaro" and "The Ascension of the Virgin Mary" and the tomb of Titian himself, the cross with a of Christ from the 13th century, a wooden statue of John the Baptist by Donatello. by Donatello. The cathedral also houses one of Venice's greatest relics. a crystal vase containing the "Holy Blood of Christ", which according to legend was received by Mary Magdalene after the Crucifixion of Christ. This vase was brought to the Apennine peninsula in 1480 from Constantinople in 1480. And in Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. the unexploded Austrian bomb dropped on the church in February. 1918.
