The sacristy of the San Salvador church in Venice

If you are in Venice and you like Renaissance churches, you absolutely cannot skip the wonderful San Salvador church near the Rialto Bridge.

And if you are also lucky and come across a positively inclined keeper, ask them to let you visit the Sacristy, a hidden gem that will leave you speechless!

The sacristy of the San Salvador church was built in 1546 in a small space between the religious building and the nearby Convent of the Augustinian friars. Upon entering you feel suddenly transported into a garden: the walls are frescoed to create the idea of being outdoors, with shrubs, trees, local and exotic birds meant to evoke the idea of the Paradise Garden...

Contrary to other city monasteries (for example the Redeemer or San Francesco della Vigna), the San Salvador convent, located in the heart of Venice, could not house a garden since the two cloisters were already being used to collect water with Venetian-style wells. It was therefore decided to create the illusion of a virtual garden within the Sacristy, by painting windows in trompe l'oeil.

The name of the artist who made this wonder still remains a mystery, but you can probably suggest the name of Camillo Mantovano who in those same years created a very similar decoration in the Foliage Room of Palazzo Grimani.

Venice hides many treasures, often completely ignored by the thousands of people who visit it every year... If you are interested in going on an original visit which will allow you to discover little-known places and buildings, please contact us! Our guides can organize a tailor-made itinerary just for you!