Saint George of the Greeks (San Giorgio dei Greci) is a historic Orthodox church in Venice, and the oldest and most historic Orthodox church in the diaspora.

The church of Agios Georgios is located in the Kastelo district – on a canal – and dates from the 16th century.

Its bell tower – which has been leaning for centuries – can be seen from afar and has become a trademark of Venice.

Its construction – after many difficulties and in a post-Renaissance style – was made possible thanks to the contributions of the Orthodox Greeks of Venice and the Greek sailors who passed through the city.

The church was given by the Venetians the nickname “of the Greeks” (dei Greci) because of the Greek language and the Byzantine standard that follows.

The construction of the church began in 1536 and was completed in 1561. The exterior was completed in 1571 with the construction of the dome.

Venice

The leaning bell tower, the “Pisa” of Venice

The leaning of the bell tower dei Greci is due to the collapse of its foundations, subsidence that occurred during the construction phase, long before the bell tower was built.

Thus, the Venetian Greeks knew long before its completion that their bell tower would be tilted! However, this majestic bell tower, one of the most beautiful in Venice, has defied the laws of gravity for more than four centuries.

Venice

The religious treasures of the Temple

Inside the church there is a marble slab with an inscription from 1564 in Greek which states that the church was dedicated to Christ and Saint George by the Greeks who moved to Venice (“the cursed Venetians of the Greeks”.

Among the church’s treasures are three icons brought with her to Italy by Anna Notara, daughter of Luca Notara and last grand duchess of the Byzantine Empire, before 1453 and later given to the Scuola de San Nicolò dei Greci for safekeeping until she could an orthodox church was built. These are: Christ the Glorious, surrounded by symbols of the four Evangelists and the 12 Apostles, one with Christ the Almighty and one of the Virgin Guide[22]. On the walls of the chapel there is a silver-plated icon of the Virgin Mary, which was brought to Venice from Constantinople after the Fall. The work dates from the 13th-14th century and is the oldest icon kept in the temple.