Home » The City » Historical Area » Giudecca Island

Giudecca Island

It’s the widest and closest island to Venice, separated from it by the large and deep Canale della Giudecca, which was once called Canale Vigano.
Its old name was “Spina Longa” (long spine) maybe because of its fishbone shape.
The name Giudecca, for some, comes from Giudei (Jews) which used to live here.
Other sources say the origin is the name “Zudega’ (judged) because in the 9th century the area was divided among the rebelling nobles.
The island is composed of 8 islets and has a long fondamenta stretching along one side; the other side is rich of gardens and orchards.
The festivity of the Redentore takes place here annually on the third Sunday of July and is celebrated with typical banquets on the fondamenta to admire the fireworks.

Basilica del Redentore

Fiorenza Corner, the wife of Pietro Trevisan, and Teodosia Scripiana built a church, dedicated to St. Mary of the Angels, and a convent at the Giudecca which they gave to fra’ Bonaventura degli Emmanueli in 1541. In the same year they also...

Chiesa di Sant'Eufemia

Sited at the Giudecca. History assures us that the parish church of S. Eufemia, Dorotea, Tecla and Erasma, the martyrs of Aquileia, was built in 865 under the doge Orso Partecipazio. After being restored several times, it reached its present form in...