Never before opened to the public, the Convent Garden of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer was visibly marked by the passage of time and by the “acqua granda” of November 2019, an exceptional high tide that reached 187 centimetres, flooding and devastating the city.

Venice Gardens Foundation’s far-reaching commitment also involved the restoration of the site’s centuries-old buildings. Their historical and architectural significance was preserved, as an expression of the Capuchin principles and values inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi’s rule of “holy poverty”, the cornerstone of the Franciscan message.

The Old Workshops

The Old Workshops, low brick buildings, bare and unornamented, austerely geometric and devoid of mouldings and decorative elements, have been subject to in-depth conservative restoration, entrusted by the Foundation to architect Alessandra Raso, and were treated with care and respect for what they represent in terms of memory, evidence of the past, and the functions they once served. Overlooking the gardens on the northern side and the lagoon on the south, the Old Workshops host exhibitions of high artistic merit, in harmony with the essence and life of the gardens and of nature. The presence of an Oil Mill and a Honey Extraction Room make it possible to carry out in situ all the operations necessary to the production and storage of oil and of honey from the rebuilt Apiary, where the presence of natural hives allows research on the life and wellbeing of the bee colonies to be carried out.

The Meditation Chapels

To the east of the garden, the small Meditation Chapel with reliefs portraying Saint Jerome, has been returned to its former function as a haven of silence and peace. Next to the picturesque Cavana (a traditional boathouse), is a Café for welcoming visitors, in keeping with the Franciscan spirit. It evokes the atmosphere of ancient monastic structures that continue to convey, today as in times past, the ritual sacredness of a shared meal made with traditional produce grown in the garden.

The Pergolas

A long pergola enveloped by vines, climbing roses, wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and bignonias (Bignonia sp.), was restored to its former seventeenth-century layout, clearly documented by G. Merlo in 1696, to evoke the symbolism of the cross. It offers shelter from the heat of the summer months, granting coolness and comfort to those practicing the noble, now sadly rare, arts of conversation and contemplation.

The Greenhouse

The Greenhouse, which dates back to the last century, was a place of study and experimentation, a visionary laboratory for expert, refined gardeners.

The Well

The creation of a well and the harvesting of rainwater from roofs makes it possible to achieve water self-sufficiency.