Festa del Redentore

Every year on the third weekend of July, Venetians celebrate Festa del Redentore. It is one of the oldest and most honored Venezia annual events. Venetians call it Festa Famosissima, a.k.a. The Most Famous Feast. Another name is the so-called “famous night of fireworks.” During Festa del Redentore, Venetians celebrate the end of the plague with fireworks, parties, and a regatta. 

History behind Festa del Redentore

In 1575-1577, a terrible plague struck Venice and wiped out a third of the city’s population. Many people fell victim to it, including the famous painter Titian. After such horrible events, the survivors demanded that the Doge build a new church. That’s how one of the essential Venice churches, The Redentore, appeared. A renowned architect, Andrea Palladio was the one who designed the church placed on Giudecca island. At that time, the Venetians built a long floating bridge that connected St Mark’s Square and Giudecca through Zattere. Fondamenta delle Zattere dates back to 1519. It used to be a landing place for timber deliveries and the construction of ships and buildings. To give thanks for ending the plague, the Doge and the local authorities walked the survivors through the bridge. 

This Almanac about Venice History

Why you should experience Festa del Redentore

Festa del Redentore is famous for its beautiful and colorful fireworks. They start around 10 PM the day before the festival. Hundreds of balloons and garlands decorate the city. The firework show lasts almost an hour and is an incredible Venice experience. You can best enjoy it from the St Mark’s Basin and other locations throughout Venice in Italy. After the show, many young Venetians head to Lido and party at the beach until dawn. Feel free to join the celebrations! You can use our Venice map and our public transport guide to see how to get to the island.  

Typical for most popular Venezia annual events, during Festa del Redentore, you’ll see food markets and a charity raffle. Most of these markets are on the island of Giudecca near The Redentore. Like every traditional Venice event, there is a rowing regatta held along the Giudecca Canal. On Sunday night, around 7 PM is a Holy Mass at The Redentore church. 

Here's the essential information a visitor needs to know about the annual event in Venice - Venice Visitor Information

Things to do in the area

If you check the Venice map, you’ll see Giudecca overlooks historical Venice. Thus, it offers incredible views of the city. Get a drink at one of the bars and enjoy! The other side of the festival bridge, Zattere, is the city’s famous boulevard. On Zattere, you’ll see Venetians and tourists relaxing and taking in the city’s vibe. From there, you can visit the finest Venice galleries. These include Accademia Gallery, Peggy Guggenheim Museum, and Punta della Dogana. Next to the last one is the gorgeous Santa Maria della Salute. It’s one of the prominent Venice churches and an iconic Venice symbol.

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