Santa Maria del Giglio, whose name translates into St. Mary of the Lily referring to the flower classically depicted as being presented by the Angel Gabriel during the Annunciation.
It is commonly known as Santa Maria Zobenigo after the Jubanico family who founded it in the 9th century. The edifice is situated on the Campo Santa Maria Zobenigo, west of the Piazza San Marco.
It was rebuilt by Giuseppe Sardi for Admiral Antonio Barbaro between 1678 and 1681 and has one of the finest Venetian Baroque facades in all of Venice. The exterior has marble relief maps of various places in which Barbaro served, including Candia, Zadar, Padua, Rome, Corfu and Spalato. His own statue in the center, sculpted by Giovanni Maria Morlaiter, is flanked by representations of Honour, Virtue, Fame and Wisdom. At the top of the facade is the Barbaro family arms carved in relief.
Interior
The nave ceiling is decorated with a large canvas by Antonio Zanchi. Along the nave are painted depictions of the Via Crucis (1755–1756) or Stations of the Cross by various artists, including Francesco Zugno, Gianbattista Crosato, Gaspare Diziani, and Jacopo Marieschi. The Molin chapel on the right of the church contains the only painting by the Flemish Rubens in Venice, the Madonna and child with young St. John. That chapel also has a painting of St Vincent Ferrer (1750) by Piazetta and Giuseppe Angeli.
The altar has flanking statues depicting the Annuciation by Meyring. Behind the high altar, in the sanctuary are paintings of the Evangelists by Jacopo Tintoretto. The organ shutters include works by Alessandro Vittoria. Other paintings in the church are by Sebastiano Ricci and Jacopo Palma il Giovane. Morlaiter has an additional sculpture found in the second chapel to the right of San Gregorio Barbarigo. Another painting by Tintoretto, Christ with two Saints in the north aisle, has been damaged by restoration.
Map of Santa Maria del Giglio Church
