From the top of St. Mark’s Belltower or the island of San Giorgio you can admire the beauty of a view of Venice that embraces its whole marvel, but above all you will notice the number of cupolas and belltowers that characterise the outline of the city: a wealth of churches and basilicas that few cities in the world can equal. The magnificent Basilica of St. Mark’s, which was until 1807 the Doge’s private chapel, is obviously the most important and well-known sacred building on the lagoon, but there are other treasures of art and spirituality in the churches of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, which houses works by Titian, Canova and Donatello, the Chiesa dei Santissimi Giovanni e Paolo, with works by Bellini, the Chiesa di San Sebastiano, a little treasure chest that preserves works by Veronese, and the Chiesa della Madonna della Salute, a votive offering to the Virgin for having liberated the city from the plague in 1630. A visit to other churches in Venice, small and large buildings around which shops and businesses have sprung up, often far-off the beaten tourist track, will allow you to discover more priceless architectural treasures.
