CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA IN BRAGORA - Sestiere of Castello, VIII sec. -

It says that church of San Giovanni in Bragora was founded in the beginning of eight century by the bishop of Oderzo: San Magno. Church is dedicated to San Giovanni Battista of whom keeps some relics brought here in the ninth century; but is the name "in bragora" that gives place to many suppositions: it could come from the dialect word "bragola" that means "market's square", or from the verb "bragolare", meaning "fishing"; or It could have a Greek origin from the word agorà, meaning square. Anyway this church is one of the most fascinating of the entire Venice: it was restored in the ninth and in the eleventh century and rebuilt in the 1475, in accordance with an acute architecture. The facade dates back to the last remake and it's divided in three parts following the inner division in three naves (architect Michele Codussi). Gothic style is kept also in the interior with a basilical plan composed of three naves, three apses and a ceiling with exposed beams. Columns are, instead, inherited from the ancient church. The paintings collection offers a Cristo dinanzi a Caifa and the Lavanda dei piedi by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, a Ultima Cena by Paris Bordone... but the pride of this church is Battesimo di Cristo by Cima from Conegliano (1492-1494).