Frari Church (Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari)

The Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, usually called the Frari, is a large Gothic brick church at Campo dei Frari in the San Polo district of Venice, Italy. It was built by the Franciscans between the 13th and 15th centuries and is one of the two major Gothic churches of the city, with the Dominican church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. From outside, the plain brick facade and the tall campanile give little hint of the works inside. The church holds two major paintings by Titian. His Assunta (Assumption of the Virgin), above the high altar, is a large altarpiece with a red-clad Virgin rising in a golden light, and his Pesaro Altarpiece in the left aisle is a landmark of Venetian Renaissance composition. Giovanni Bellini's Frari Triptych in the sacristy is another highlight, with its original frame. The church also contains the tomb of Titian, the tomb of the composer Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Canova's pyramid-shaped monument, and the carved wooden choir stalls in the nave. A visit usually takes about an hour. The church is generally open Monday to Saturday in the morning and afternoon and on Sunday afternoon, and it closes for services, so times should be checked. Adult admission is around €5, with free entry for children. Mornings and early afternoons on weekdays are the quietest, since the Frari receives fewer tour groups than San Marco. The church is usually cooler than the streets in summer, and lighting is dim, so the paintings are best seen in daylight. Photography without flash is usually allowed for personal use, but should be confirmed at the entrance. The church is a short walk from the San Tomà vaporetto stop and from the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.