The island of San Giorgio Maggiore faces the ancient harbour of Venice and St. Mark’s Square.

The Venetian government allowed the Benedictine monks to build their church and monastery as far as the year 982. The church was rebuilt on several occasions, and its final spectacular and imposing result was designed by Andrea Palladio, who reconstructed it, taking into account the spirit of the religious Counter-Reformation and changing the façade position towards St. Mark’s “water square”.

Inside the church you can admire two masterpieces by Tintoretto and wonderful wooden choir stalls. We can also reach the top of the bell tower, with the help of an elevator and enjoy a 360-degree view of the city, its lagoon up to the Adriatic sea.

At the side of the church, in the old monastery structure, the Giorgio Cini Cultural Foundation runs important centres for art, music and more. The tour can then move into the cloisters and the library planned by Baldassarre Longhena as well as the recently renovated Manica lunga, the 128-meter long hall where once the dormitory was located.