Venice - Colleoni Monument Monumento di Colleoni

Must-see attractions nearby: St Marks Square Doges Palace Colleoni Monument Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Basilica of St Mark Academy of Fine Arts Rialto Bridge

Colleoni had commanded the land forces of the Republic, thus managing to amass a huge fortune. On his deathbed he bequeathed all his possessions to the State on the condition that a monument to his memory be erected "in front of San Marco". As the State, which hitherto had never authorized a public memorial, did not want to lose the money, instructions were given for the monument to be erected in front of the Scuolo Grande di San Marco, the confraternity house of San Marco, which stands next to the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo, since the dying man had failed to specify that his monument must be in front of the "Church" of San Marco!