Founded in the 9th century, Santa Maria del Giglio (Saint Mary of the Lily) was rebuilt in the 17th century by Italian architect Giuseppe Sardi for Antonio Barbaro, a renowned military leader and scion of a wealthy Venetian dynasty. The sumptuous marble facade is unusual in that it includes largely secular imagery. The interior contains Tintoretto’sThe Evangelists and, in the Molin chapel, Rubens’Virgin and Child with the Young St. John, the only painting by the Flemish master in Venice.
Santa Maria del Giglio is a stop on some private walking tours of the San Marco neighborhood, which may also include nearby highlights such as St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica San Marco), the Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), and the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto). You can easily pair a visit to the church, set just off the Grand Canal, with a gondola ride and serenade.