The church of Santa Caterina

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The church of Santa Caterina

A treasure-filled chest in the heart of the Venice district

The church of Santa Caterina

A treasure-filled chest in the heart of the Venice district

The unmistakable profile of Venezia Nuova

Inside the evocative district of Venezia Nuova, the imposing Church of Santa Caterina stands out. If you find yourself in front of this majestic place of worship, topped by a large 63-meter dome that shapes the profile of the entire neighborhood, don’t be intimidated and instead go inside to discover the important works it houses.

Architecture and ambitions: the church that wanted to be

In 1720, despite their financial difficulties, encouraged by their faith and the following they had obtained in Livorno, the Dominican Order wanted to start the construction of their own place of worship. On September 17th of the same year, the laying of the foundation stone was celebrated. However, it would take over a hundred years to reach its consecration, which occurred in 1822, and almost 150 years for its completion.

The construction, started based on the design by the grand-ducal architect Giovanni Del Fantasia, experienced various delays and interruptions. The dome, for example, had stability issues and forced the designers to wrap it in the octagonal tower that characterizes it today. During this long period of time, the direction of the project passed into the hands of various architects: Alessandro Saller, Giovanni Masini, and finally Giuseppe Ruggeri. The marble facade, which was supposed to be built in Baroque style and adorned with a rich portico according to the project, was never completed.

Vasari and Maffei, two masters under the same dome

If the exterior of the Church of Santa Caterina appears imposing and austere, the interior will astonish you with its grace and elegance. A series of tall windows that, depending on the hour, modify the atmosphere, illuminate a large octagonal space, finely decorated and surrounded by side chapels.

The first on the right after the main entrance is the one dedicated to Santa Caterina. In addition to a wooden statue of the saint, it houses a precious fresco by Giuseppe Maria Terreni.

On the main altar stands a valuable oil painting by Giorgio Vasari. It is The Coronation of the Virgin, a late work by the great Tuscan artist created around 1571, and its preparatory sketch is preserved at the Louvre in Paris. The altarpiece, originally located in the chapel of San Michele in Vatican, was probably stolen during the Napoleonic era, then sold at auction, and eventually purchased by Antonio Filicchi, who donated it to the Livorno church.

The imposing dome that surmounts the interior is divided into eight compartments decorated by Cesare Maffei, who had already been entrusted with the decoration of the sacristy. The large pictorial work of the Sienese artist, depicting the Four Evangelists, some scenes from the life of the Virgin, and Saint Dominic receiving the rosary from the Madonna, was started around 1860 and completed in 1876. With its 1500 square meters of extension, it is one of the largest frescoed surfaces in all of Tuscany.