Church of San Clemente, Venice
The Church of San Clemente (Chiesa di San Clemente) is an early Renaissance style, Roman Catholic temple located on the Island of San Clemente, just south the main islands of the city of Venice, built in 1131 using designs by Pietro Gattilesso.[1]
History
The original Romanesque church had a single cross nave. It was named after Saint Clement, a pope who was martyred at sea.[2]
There was a jurisdictional dispute over the church, settled in 1156 when the Pope forced Giovanni Polani, the Bishop of Castello to relinquish all claims over the church to Enrico Dandolo, the Patriarch of Grado.[3]
The church was enlarged in the late 15th century. The Camaldolese monks rebuilt it between 1653 and 1750.[4] In 1652 Francesco and Tommaso Morosini of Venice sponsored restoration of the façade by Andrea Cominelli.
He included busts of Morosini family members above the portal, and their coat of arms. He also added statues of Saint Benedict and Saint Romuald, and a Madonna and cherub. The façade includes reliefs of scenes from battles commemorating the Morosini's victories in the war against the Turks.[2]
Above the altar there is a sculpture of the Madonna in cedar, which was brought to the church in 1646. The church holds paintings and frescoes by Giovanni Segala, Pietro Ricchi and Francesco Ruschi among others.[2] The sculptor Giuseppe Maria Mazza (1653–1741) made large bronze reliefs for the Church.[5]
Statues of "Faith" and "Hope" were stolen from San Clemente and dragged along the sea bed wrapped in tires. They are now on display in the Sant'Apollonia Diocese Museum.[4]
The church was restored in 2003 as part of the project that made the adjacent buildings into a luxury hotel.[2]