The Chiesa di Santa Margherita (Church of Saint Margaret) is a deconsecrated church located in the Dorsoduro sestiere of Venice, Italy, at Campo Santa Margherita, 3052, 30123, one of the largest and most vibrant squares in the city. Originally constructed in the 9th century and rebuilt several times, with the current structure dating to the 17th century, it was dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch, a 4th-century martyr. Known for its historical significance, modest Baroque architecture, and association with a former Augustinian convent, the church was suppressed in 1810 during the Napoleonic era and repurposed as a warehouse, tobacco factory, and Protestant church before being restored as part of the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari’s Auditorium Santa Margherita in 1978. Today, it serves as a cultural venue for lectures, exhibitions, and performances, making it a unique blend of historical heritage and modern utility.
The Chiesa di Santa Margherita traces its origins to the 9th century,
traditionally attributed to the Venier family, who are said to have
founded the church in 836, though definitive records are scarce.
Dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch, a martyr venerated as a
protector against childbirth dangers and demons, the church served as a
parish church for the Dorsoduro district. By the 12th century, it was
associated with an Augustinian convent, which housed nuns and played a
central role in the community, similar to the convent history of San
Giuseppe di Castello and Santa Maria Maddalena.
The original
Romanesque structure was rebuilt in the 14th century in a Gothic style,
reflecting Venice’s architectural trends, as seen in Palazzo Molin del
Cuoridoro. By the 17th century, the church was in disrepair, leading to
a significant reconstruction between 1660 and 1680, possibly overseen by
an architect in the circle of Baldassare Longhena, who influenced San
Raffaele Arcangelo and Palazzo Basadonna Giustinian Recanati. This
rebuild introduced Baroque elements, though less flamboyant than those
of San Moisè or Sant’Antonin.
In 1810, during the Napoleonic
occupation, the church and convent were suppressed, a fate shared with
many Venetian religious institutions, including La Maddalena and San
Giuseppe di Castello. The convent was demolished, and the church was
repurposed as a warehouse, tobacco factory, and later a Protestant
church for the Waldensian community. In 1882, the Scoletta dei Calegheri
(Shoemakers’ Guild) acquired part of the complex, adding a guild hall.
By 1978, the University of Venice Ca’ Foscari restored the church as the
Auditorium Santa Margherita, a cultural venue for lectures, exhibitions,
film screenings, and performances, a modern adaptation akin to Palazzo
Barbarigo Minotto’s opera venue or Palazzo Basadonna’s school.
Restoration efforts in the 1970s and 1990s addressed acqua alta (high
tide flooding) damage, preserving the church’s frescoes and
architectural elements under the oversight of the Soprintendenza per i
Beni Architettonici. Today, the auditorium is a hub for academic and
cultural events, hosting the Venice International Film Festival’s
collateral screenings and Ca’ Foscari’s public programs, making it a
vibrant counterpart to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection’s modern art
focus.
Santa Margherita is located in the Dorsoduro sestiere, a culturally
rich and less tourist-heavy district compared to San Marco, known for
its artistic institutions and lively student life. Positioned at Campo
Santa Margherita, a large, vibrant square popular with locals and
students, the church is near Ca’ Rezzonico (300 meters), Palazzo
Basadonna Giustinian Recanati (400 meters), Chiesa di San Raffaele
Arcangelo (300 meters), Peggy Guggenheim Collection (600 meters), and
Palazzo Balbi (400 meters). The campo’s bustling atmosphere, with cafés,
markets, and gelaterias, contrasts with the quieter settings of San
Biagio or San Giuseppe di Castello in Castello.
The nearest
vaporetto stops are Ca’ Rezzonico (Lines 1 and 5.1, 300 meters) and San
Tomà (Lines 1 and 2, 400 meters), with Accademia (Lines 1 and 2, 600
meters) also accessible. The Santa Lucia railway station is 1 km away,
reachable by vaporetto or a 15-minute walk, and Piazza San Marco is 1.2
km away, a 20-minute walk via the Accademia Bridge. The Alilaguna
service to Venice Marco Polo Airport (13 km) is available at Piazzale
Roma (800 meters).
As the Auditorium Santa Margherita, the church
is open to the public during university events, such as lectures,
exhibitions, or performances, typically scheduled weekdays or evenings,
with hours varying by event. Admission is often free or ticketed
(€5–€20, depending on the event), and bookings can be made through the
Ca’ Foscari University website (www.unive.it) or event platforms like
Eventbrite. The interior is wheelchair-accessible, with ramps added
during the 1978 restoration, unlike the restricted access of Palazzo
Gussoni or Palazzo Balbi. Visitors should check event schedules in
advance, as the auditorium is not open for casual tourism, similar to
the limited hours of San Raffaele Arcangelo or Chiesa del Nome di Gesù.
Santa Margherita’s current structure, dating to the 17th century, is
a modest example of Venetian Baroque architecture with Gothic remnants,
reflecting its multiple rebuilds. The deconsecrated status and
conversion into an auditorium have preserved its architectural shell
while adapting the interior for modern use, a transformation akin to
Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto’s opera venue.
Exterior
The façade,
facing Campo Santa Margherita, is a simple Baroque design in white
Istrian stone, less ornate than San Moisè or Sant’Antonin. It features:
Single Portal: A rectangular entrance with a curved pediment,
adorned with a faded relief of Saint Margaret Slaying the Dragon,
symbolizing her martyrdom, possibly by a 17th-century sculptor in
Longhena’s circle.
Minimal Ornamentation: Two pilasters and a modest
entablature frame the portal, with small rectangular windows above,
reflecting the restrained Baroque style seen in San Biagio.
Campanile: A 14th-century Gothic tower, partially rebuilt in the 17th
century, with brick arches and a conical spire, less prominent than San
Apostoli’s but similar to San Zulian’s.
The façade’s simplicity
contrasts with the Renaissance elegance of San Zulian or the Gothic
fiorito of Palazzo Molin del Cuoridoro, aligning more closely with the
neoclassical restraint of La Maddalena and Nome di Gesù. The campo’s
open space and canal proximity enhance its visibility, similar to San
Raffaele Arcangelo’s canal-side setting.
Interior
The
interior, now an auditorium, retains a single-nave layout, approximately
400 m², with a vaulted ceiling and side niches, adapted for modern
seating and acoustics. Key architectural features include:
Ceiling: Originally frescoed, likely with scenes of Saint Margaret’s
Martyrdom, possibly by a minor 17th-century artist like Antonio Zanchi,
though much of the decoration was damaged or removed during the
Napoleonic suppression. Restored fragments remain, visible during
events.
Main Altar Area: Converted into a stage for performances, the
former altar retains traces of marble cladding and stucco, with a modern
projection screen.
Side Niches: Four niches, once housing
altarpieces, now serve as decorative or functional spaces for
exhibitions, similar to the repurposed interiors of Palazzo Barbarigo
Minotto.
Scoletta dei Calegheri: The adjacent guild hall, built in
1446 and restored in 1882, features a small chapel with faded frescoes,
accessible during select university events.
The interior’s modern
adaptation contrasts with the intact Baroque interiors of Sant’Antonin
or San Moisè, aligning with the functional conversions of Palazzo
Basadonna (school) and Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza (hotel and
research center). The auditorium’s acoustics, praised for lectures and
performances, make it a unique cultural space, unlike the purely
religious settings of San Giuseppe di Castello or San Zulian.
Santa Margherita’s artistic offerings are limited due to its
deconsecrated status and historical repurposing, with most original
artworks dispersed during the 19th century. Surviving or documented
features include:
Ceiling Frescoes: Faded fragments, possibly
depicting Saint Margaret or Augustinian saints, attributed to minor
17th-century Venetian artists, less prominent than Sant’Antonin’s Ricci
frescoes or San Zulian’s Palma il Giovane ceiling.
Relief of Saint
Margaret: The exterior relief above the portal, showing Saint Margaret
slaying the dragon, is a modest sculptural highlight, comparable to the
reliefs on San Zulian or Scuola degli Albanesi.
Lost Altarpieces:
Historical records suggest paintings by Giovanni Bellini or his school,
possibly a Madonna and Child, were once housed in the church, but these
were removed during the Napoleonic era, similar to the dispersed
collections of Palazzo Gussoni and Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza.
Scoletta Frescoes: The adjacent guild hall contains minor 15th-century
frescoes, depicting shoemakers’ patron saints, preserved but rarely
accessible.
The church’s modest artistic remnants contrast with the
masterpiece-laden San Apostoli (Tiepolo’s Saint Lucy), San Giuseppe di
Castello (Veronese’s altarpiece), and Peggy Guggenheim Collection
(Picasso and Pollock), aligning more closely with the sparse decor of
San Biagio and Nome di Gesù. Its cultural role as an auditorium,
however, parallels the performance-based focus of Palazzo Barbarigo
Minotto.
Santa Margherita reflects Venice’s layered history, from its
9th-century origins as a parish church to its 19th-century suppression
and 20th-century rebirth as a cultural venue. Its Augustinian convent
history ties it to female religious communities, similar to San Giuseppe
di Castello and La Maddalena, while its dedication to Saint Margaret
connects it to medieval devotional practices, akin to San Zulian’s Saint
Julian or San Biagio’s Saint Blaise. The church’s transformation into
the Auditorium Santa Margherita mirrors the modern adaptations of
Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto (opera venue), Palazzo Basadonna (school), and
Palazzo Balbi (government seat), showcasing Venice’s ability to
repurpose historic structures.
The campo’s role as a social hub,
frequented by students and locals, enhances the church’s cultural
vibrancy, contrasting with the tourist-heavy settings of San Moisè and
San Zulian. Its association with Ca’ Foscari University and events like
the Venice International Film Festival aligns it with the cultural
innovation of Peggy Guggenheim Collection, though its focus is academic
and performative rather than artistic. The church’s preservation,
despite acqua alta challenges, parallels efforts at San Raffaele
Arcangelo, San Giuseppe di Castello, and La Maddalena, ensuring its
legacy in Dorsoduro’s cultural landscape.
As the Auditorium Santa Margherita, the church is a niche
destination, appealing to those attending university events or seeking
off-the-beaten-path sites. Tripadvisor reviews rate it 4.3/5, praising
its “lively campo setting” and “unique auditorium atmosphere,” though
some note the lack of regular tourist access and limited artworks
compared to San Apostoli or San Zulian. Events, such as lectures, film
screenings, or performances, offer the best opportunity to explore the
interior, with the restored fresco fragments and stage area highlighted
as “surprisingly modern yet historical.” Visitors recommend checking Ca’
Foscari’s event calendar (www.unive.it) for schedules, as access is
event-dependent, similar to the limited hours of San Biagio or Nome di
Gesù.
The vibrant Campo Santa Margherita, with its cafés,
gelaterias, and market stalls, enhances the experience, offering a local
contrast to the tourist-heavy Piazza San Marco. Nearby attractions
include:
Ca’ Rezzonico (300 meters): Museum of 18th-century
Venice.
Palazzo Basadonna Giustinian Recanati (400 meters): Liceo
Artistico.
Chiesa di San Raffaele Arcangelo (300 meters): Baroque
church with Guardi paintings.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (600
meters): Modern art museum.
Dining options like Osteria alla Bifora
(50 meters) or Gelateria il Doge (100 meters) offer Venetian cuisine and
gelato.
For a family of four seeking affordable three-star
accommodation in Dorsoduro, options include Hotel Agli Alboretti (500
meters) or Hotel Tiziano (400 meters), bookable via Booking.com or
Tripadvisor. The area’s vaporetto access and walkable streets ensure
convenience, but visitors should plan visits around event schedules to
access the auditorium.