History of the festival
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Between 1575 and 1577 Venice was suffering from a dreadful outbreak of the plague. More than a third of the population died. In September 1576 the Senate voted to erect a church dedicated to Christ the Redeemer as an offering and a plea for divine help. The following year, in July, the city was finally declared free of disease, and it was decided to celebrate Venice's deliverance every year with a festival and a church service.
Each year a temporary bridge, floating on pontoons, is erected over the Giudecca Canal between the Zattere and the Church of the Redentore. The religious celebrations are held on the third Sunday of July. The night before (Saturday) is a great party with feasting followed by night-time fireworks and the weekend finishes with a gondola regatta.
While the famous February Carnival is an event largely re-created for tourists, the Redentore is still an authentically local event, and is very important to the people of Venice.
The festival today
The times we give relate to the most recent celebrations; the schedule may vary slightly.
On Saturday evening at 7pm the 333m-long bridge, called the Ponte Votivo ('votive bridge') is opened and there is a special religious ceremony at the Redentore Church. Around this time you'll see boats and barges laden with festival-goers making their way along the canals to take their places on the water. Families sit around tables in specially-decorated boats. All kinds of vessel are hired out for the occasion, including transport barges. Some of these, packed with young revellers, moor cheek-by-jowl to create a kind of multi-boat disco. Those unfortunate enough to be without boats throng the waterside. Local people, some of whom have previously chalked 'reservations' on the waterfront, bring out tables and chairs and enjoy convivial meals.
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