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Santa Maria dei Carmini : The friezes on both sides of the clerestory walls depict a total of 24 scenes related to Carmelite subjects
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Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmelo (Ai Carmini)

Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini

Carmelite Church with an interior that gives the impression of vast length.

Featured in Chorus Churches

Standard admission is €3.50. Free entrance with the Chorus pass or with the official city pass.

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What makes it special

A long, richly decorated nave

A rare visual journey unfolds along the church’s unusually long and slender nave, where 24 sweeping friezes bring Carmelite stories to life.

An early Tintoretto

One of the artistic highlights is Tintoretto’s Presentation of Christ, painted in 1548 for the altar of the fishmongers' guild. It captures the rising talent of the artist, then just 30 years old.

Venetian symbols carved in stone

At the side entrance, don’t miss the six pateras — circular sculpted reliefs that blend pagan and Christian imagery. These are among the finest examples of this quintessentially Venetian decorative motif, scattered throughout the city on older buildings.

Santa Maria dei Carmini : The five pateras on the top of the side entrance: medieval symbols of the struggle between good an evil

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Your experience here

  • Experience one of Venice’s longest — and undoubtedly its most slender — naves.
  • The beautiful art inside offers a perfect warm-up before you explore the adjacent Scuola Grande.
  • Take a quiet moment to admire the calm oasis of the cloister’s garden.

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Free entry with:

Chorus Pass

Gain entry to this church and all the additional 19 on the Chorus circuit with a single, exceptional value ticket.

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Official City Pass

Includes the Chorus pass and offers cost-effective, direct entry to 12 other top spots, including Palazzo Ducale.

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Connect the dots

Carmelite Order

The church was established by desert hermits who founded the order around the 12th century, during the Crusades.

Flanking the facade are statues of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, traditionally regarded as the order’s spiritual founders.

Santa Maria dei Carmini : Five statues adorn the early Venetian Renaissance brick facade: three saints on top and prophets Elijah and Elisha, considered to be the founders of the Carmelite order

What to see nearby

These top spots are just a short walk from Santa Maria dei Carmini:

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