Santa Maria dei Miracoli

Santa Maria dei Miracoli Review

Tiny yet harmoniously proportioned, this early-Renaissance gem built between 1481 and 1489 is sheathed in marble and decorated inside with exquisite marble reliefs. Architect Pietro Lombardo (circa 1435-1515) miraculously compressed the building into its confined space, then created the illusion of greater size by varying the color of the exterior, adding extra pilasters on the building's canal side, and offsetting the arcade windows to make the arches appear deeper. The church was built in the 1480s to house I Miracoli, an image of the Virgin Mary that is said to perform miracles—look for it on the high altar.