- you are here: Home
- Hidden Treasures
- The Madonna with the gold shoe in the Zen Chapel of St Marks Cathedral in Venice
The Madonna with the gold shoe in the Zen Chapel of St Marks Cathedral in Venice
Mysteries & Legends
The Madonna with the gold shoe in the Zen Chapel of St Marks Cathedral in Venice
St Mark's Cathedral in Venice contains many secrets and little known areas, as they are often inaccessible to the public.
The Zen Chapel – built in the 16th century in honor of the Cardinal Zen – houses for instance a bronze sculpture that is linked to a suggestive legend. The Virgin with Baby is wearing in fact a gold shoe. Why is that?
It is said that one day a poor believer gave the Virgin the only thing he owned, a pair of old shoes and that these miraculously were turned into gold. But as we can now see only one shoe, what happened to the other one?
The legend steps in again saying that one day a woman, reduced to poverty, was praying in front of the Virgin in St Mark's Cathedral and begging the Virgin for help when miraculously one of the golden shoes slipped off into the hand of the woman who was this way able to escape misery.
If you want to see this ‘Miraculous Madonna' and the chapel where she is housed and the splendid mosaics that narrate the life of St Mark, go on the tour St Mark's Cathedral and its Treasures, the only tour in Venice that can exclusively open the doors of the Zen Chapel to you.
- Google+
- tumblr
Search posts
Latest posts
Venice: What happened on May 16 in Venice

Almanac of Venice
According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, the Saint of the Day is St. Boldo (St. Ubald Bishop) a church was dedicated to the Sain...
ViewVenice: What happened on May 1 in Venice

Almanac of Venice
According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, today’s Saints are Sts. Philip and James, Apostles and Saint Scholastica, of whom ther...
ViewVenice: What happened on April 25 in Venice

Almanac of Venice
According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, the Saint of the Day is St. Mark, Evangelist, Patron Saint of Venice It is the First Fea...
ViewVenice: What happened on April 20 in Venice

Almanac of Venice
According to the Venetian Liturgical Calendar, the Saint of the Day is St. Victor. - April 20, 1797: capture of the French friga...
ViewTop posts
Venice: 10 songs that will make you think of Venice

Did you know that...
Sometimes we hear the first few lines of a song and our minds are suddenly transported back to a place, a memory or a dream. We put tog...
ViewPadua: Vò Euganeo: a place to be discovered

Unknown places & works
In the last few months there has been much talking around the small town of Vò, in the province of Padua. It was at the center of ever...
ViewVenice: 10 must-see movies filmed in Venice

Film Locations
Venice is unique amongst world cities and every year it turns into a dream-like experience for scores of tourists thanks to its timeles...
ViewChioggia: The Valley of the Seven Dead Men

Mysteries & Legends
Halloween is just around the corner: have you already got into the fascinating terrifying aura of the scariest party of the year? No ye...
View