Tradition holds that the church was founded in 936 by the Adorni family of Venice. In fact, it seems that the current building developed on an earlier church of San Lorenzo dating back to the beginning of the 9th century. It is not clear when it became a parish: probably shortly after its foundation or, perhaps, in the 11th century, a period in which the ecclesiastical organization of the city was outlined. It was a branch of Santa Maria Zobenigo.
Due to the numerous fires, it underwent several renovations until the consecration of 6 December 1350, by the Bishop of Suda on license from the bishop of Castello Nicolò Morosini.
The building then took on its current appearance in 1779, when the renovation work begun in 1749 on a project by the architect Lorenzo Boschetti was completed.
In 1810, in full Napoleonic dominion, the parish was suppressed (the territory was annexed to the Carmini parish) and the church was deconsecrated.
Having become vicarial of the Carmini, it was later converted into a permanent exhibition space dedicated to the machines of Leonardo da Vinci.
In the film Indiana Jones and the last crusade the church (only in the exteriors in Venice) was used to set an imaginary library (the interiors were actually filmed in a soundstage).
San Barnaba Church
Address: Campo San Barnaba Dorsoduro, 2771, Dorsoduro
Phone: 041 529 8711
Site:
http://www.turismovenezia.it/Venezia/Chiesa-di-San-Barnaba-6093.htmlLocation inserted by
Paola Bonometti