The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is a basilica in Venice, Italy designed by Andrea Palladio and located on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. Facing the Bacino di San Marco, the church plays a central role in the panorama from the Piazzetta.

The first church dedicated to Saint George dates to the 8-9th century. The Benedictine Monastery of San Giorgio was established in 982, when the doge Tribuno Memmo donated the whole island to a monk, Giovanni Morosini. The monks drained the island’s marshes next to the church to get the ground for building.

The present church was begun in 1566, and was not entirely finished before the death of Palladio in 1580. The façade was continued by Vincenzo Scamozzi based on the original architect’s designs and completed in 1610. The church, sometimes designated as a basilica, is a prime example of Palladio’s architectural style, and one of the finest churches he designed. The bell tower, first built in 1467, fell in 1774; the reconstruction was completed in 1791. The Benedictine monks still officiate in the church.

(Information supplied by Wikipedia).

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