Castello, Venice

San Zaccaria was probably founded in the ninth century. The present church was built between 1444 and 1500 by the two great master builders Antonio Gambello and Mauro Coducci. The huge facade is an astounding example of the transition from Gothic to Early Renaissance architecture. It is the most important work of the Venetian Renaissance before it lost its individuality with Sansovino and adopted the forms of the mainland. The Campanile is still Byzantine, the choir still Gothic and the nave is in the style of the early Renaissance.Of especial interest are Giovanni Bellini's "Enthroned Madonna with Saints" dating from 1505 (second side-altar on the left) and Andrea del Castagno's frescoes (1452) in the Cappella di San Tarasio.San Zaccaria was considered the rowdiest of all the convents in the rowdy city of 18th century Venice. The riotous parties held in the convent and the love-affairs indulged in by the nuns were the talk of the town. This was because most of San Zaccaria's nuns were the daughters of noble families sent there against their will to save the expense of dowries. Cheated out of their lives they found their own way of avenging themselves.

The Scuola Grande di San Marco, adjoining the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, served the rich confraternity of goldsmiths and silk-merchants. Today it is a municipal hospital. The lower part of the building was begun about 1490 by Pietro Lombardo; his son Tullio did the reliefs and the two lions. Mauro Coducci finally completed the building in about 1500 by adding the upper part with its stepped round gables crowned with figures.Although not as clear-cut as Santa Maria dei Miracoli nor as forceful as San Zaccaria, the splendid facade is, nevertheless, one of the outstanding examples of Venetian Renaissance architecture. The "trompe-l'oeil" effects on the ground floor, the fluid arches and the sculpture on the gables combine to fine effect.The sculpture in the lunette of the doorway "St Mark with the Brethren of the Scuola" is attributed to Bartolomeo Bon who also worked on the Porta della Carta in the Doge's Palace.

The Arsenal was the Shipyard of Venice - until the end of the 17th century the largest and busiest in the world. Founded in 1104, it was continuously expanded and in its heyday employed as many as 16,000 workmen. The Arsenal was a prohibited area and accessible by one land and one sea approach only. Every workman was privy to its secrets and, therefore, subject to security checks, which was how the Republic managed to keep its art of shipbuilding secret until about 1550.The landward entrance (Ingresso di Terra) is a triumphal arch in the Renaissance style. The lions on each side of the entrance come from Greece, booty brought back by Francesco Morosoni in the 17th century after the reconquest of the Peloponnese. Of the two lions on the left, the larger one stood guard over the port of Piraeus while its fellow stood on the road from Athens to Eleusis.

This was the Scuola of the Dalmatian merchants, the "Schiavoni" (Slavs). Between 1502 and 1508 Vittore Carpaccio decorated its walls with the cycle of paintings which still survive complete and which rank as his most important work alongside his pictures in the Galleria dell'Accademia, the Museo Correr and the Ca' d'Oro.There are no captions to the pictures. Those on the left wall are "St George killing the Dragon" and "The Triumph of St George".Left and right of the altar: "St George baptizing the heathen King and Queen" and "St Tryphon exorcising the Daughter of the Emperor Gordianus".Right wall: "The Agony in the Garden", "The Calling of St Matthew", "St Jerome leading his Lion into a Monastery", "The Funeral of St Jerome", and "St Jerome in his Study".

Work on this large church was begun by Sansovino in 1534, It was not completed until 40 years later when Andrea Palladio assumed the main responsibility for the facade (1568-72).The church contains some interesting paintings: in the south transept is an important panel-painting, "The Enthroned Madonna" (ca. 1450) by Antonio da Negroponte. The Cappella Santa (access from the north transept) has a "Madonna and Saints" by Giovanni Bellini (1507), one of his later works. In the Sacristy is a triptych by Antonio Vivarini (15th century) and in the fifth chapel on the left a "Madonna" by Paolo Veronese (1551).Also interesting is a 15th century series of sculptures by Pietro Lombardo in the Cappella Giustiniani (to the left of the High Altar).

San Giovanni in Bragora is one of the oldest in Venice and was founded as early as the seventh century. It was built in its present Late-Gothic style in 1475 and the Presbytery was added in 1485-94.Inside are three masterpieces of early Venetian painting. In the apse of the choir is Cima da Conegliano's "Baptism of Christ" (1494) in a marble frame, one of the master's finest works. In the left choir chapel is a triptych by Bartolomeo Vivarini, "The Madonna Enthroned between St John the Baptist and St Andrew" (1478). In the first side-chapel on the left (next to the entrance) is a "Resurrection" by Alvise Vivarini (1498), an early Renaissance work.Over the entrance is an interesting work by Palma Giovane, "Christ before Caiaphas" (1600).

The Museum of Naval History not only exhibits impressive booty brought back from the numerous maritime wars of the Republic of San Marco, but also uses models, mementos and documents to give an account of shipbuilding and the types of vessels afloat in the period that Venice was a sea power, ending in 1797.Also on display is a model of the legendary ship of state "Bucintoro". The Doge's sumptuous State galley was burnt out during the 1798 Jacobin Revolution.

The former Scuolo di San Niccolò dei Greci (Palazzo Flangini), to the left of the Church of San Giorgio dei Greci, houses a small but interesting icon museum. Apart from the 14th-18th century icons it also contains richly embroidered liturgical robes and a collection of liturgical objects.The Palazzo Flangini was built by Longhena in the 17th century.

Among the treasures of the Diocesan Museum are liturgical articles, silverwork and paintings. The exhibits in the department of contemporary sacred art range from architectural sketches to stained glass.