The Church of Santa Maria Maddalena: a place of mystery and "Masonic" history
Another place you mustn't miss is the deconsecrated Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, known simply as The Maddalena. It has a mysterious,
unusual past. The church was built in the 13th century and is a perfect
example of how the history of Venice is intertwined with often unknown or
rarely mentioned events.
The symbol above the entrance is already a sign: an eye within a
triangle, which some say is clearly Masonic. The motto “sapiente aedificavit
siti domum” translates as “wisdom has built its own house".
In fact, over the centuries, the church housed Masonic meetings and ceremonies
and created an atmosphere of esoteric symbolism, which continues to pervade it.
Not without reason is the church dedicated to Mary Magdalene, an enigmatic
character often rejected by the official church, even though she was much loved
by the Masonry, who saw her as a symbol of wisdom and the struggle against the
church's obscurantism. The intrinsic beauty of the Gothic lines and ancient
decorations of the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena is a clear reminder of a secret,
mysterious Venice.