I have been reading a suspense novel by American writer, Joseph Kanon, Alibi, which is set in Venice in the period immediately following World War II. It's an engrossing story, which follows lovers Adam, an American soldier on leave from his post in Germany, and Claudia, a Jewish girl who is traumatised by her experiences of the war. I was intrigued to find a novel dealing this particular moment of Venetian history. I loved the following description of Il Redentore, seen from across the Giudecca Canal:
“My bedroom window faced across the canal
to the Redentore and I would look out into the darkness, waiting for its lines
to start forming, as if Palladio himself were sketching them in again, until
finally everything had definition, still murky but real”.
Joseph Kanon,
Alibi, 2005
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Photo by Capturing Venice
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Designed
by Palladio, Il Redentore (The Redeemer) was built in 1577-1592 in thanksgiving
for the end of the 1576 plague which decimated one third of Venice’s
population. Every year, the doge would
visit the church, crossing from the Zattere on a bridge of boats.
The
Feast of the Redentore is still celebrated every year on the third weekend in
July.
An
impressive 330-metre long pontoon bridge is built from the Zattere across the
Giudecca Canal and the weekend celebrations include a religious service,
fireworks and regattas.
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