The "Redentore" fest

One of the most fantastic festival and, perhaps the most loved by Venetians, is the Redentore. The Festival reminds to Venetians the plague that, at the end of 1500 affected Europe. In less then two years the plague killed more than 50.000 people in Venice. Certainly, the contagion arrived from the East where the Serenissima still had a predominant position in the international trade. In the XVI century, it was believed that the plague had a sacral meaning: it was the divine punishment against men for their wicked behaviour. This reason moved the Venetian Senate to approve the Doge Alvise Mocenigo’s proposal to build a glorious temple if the plague ended. The magnificent church, was build on the Giudecca Island with the promise, made by Venetians, to go there every year if plague stopped. The works for the new basilica begun in 1577, a small wooden church was temporary build with a bridge made on pontoon from the Zattere. The year after the plague stopped. It made Venetians to keep their promise of finishing the church. The works went on and the commission of the basilica went to architect Andrea Palladio.

The Redentore's origin.

In 1592 the new church was consecrated and the Doge decreed that the third Sunday in July a pilgrimage to the church had to be made every year. This promise has been kept till today. Every year a wooden bridge is built from the Zattere to the Church to permit pilgrims to reach the church for praying. But the most exciting moment is the famous night of fireworks.