Dorsoduro, Venice

In the 15th century the church belonged to the Guild of the Poveri Gesuati (whose name it has retained) but was taken over by the Dominicans who had the present building erected in 1726-36 by the master-builder Giogio Massari. It is a gem of 18th century Venetian architecture; a large room with side-chapels and a facade reminiscent of Palladio.There are ceiling frescoes by Giambattista Tiepolo - "The Ascent into Heaven of St Dominic", "The Introduction of the Rosary by Mary", "St Dominic giving a Blessing", and the painting "Madonna in Glory".The altar-pieces "St Dominic" (ca. 1743; second altar on the right) and "Dominicans" (third altar on the right) are by Piazzetta; Sebastiano Ricci was responsible for the altar-piece "Pope Pius V and Saints" (ca. 1732-34; first altar on the left) and Tintoretto painted "The Crucifixion" (third altar on the left).

This Scuola formerly served one of the six most important confraternities of Venice. The Scuole were not schools but meeting-places and houses of prayer for religious fraternities where Venetian citizens banded together. They were organized either according to country of origin or according to occupation, had specific religious or charitable aims and above all provided mutual assistance and charitable benefits. They were often very rich, and this is demonstrated by their splendid confraternity houses.The Scuola dei Carmini belonged to a lay confraternity of Carmelites who, nevertheless, were able to commission such important artists as Giambattista Tiepolo and Nicolò Bambini to decorate their house for them. In the hall on the upper floor Tiepolo created nine ceiling-paintings between 1739 and 1744, including his most mature work "Mary handing St Simon the Scapular of the Carmelites". He was paid only 400 sequins for this fresco.The other paintings, including those by Bambini, all dating from the 18th century are also of interest.

The Gothic church with the tall 17th century Campanile dates from the 13th to the 14th century. Like the Scuola dei Carmini, it belonged to the Carmelites.The interior has some very fine paintings, several in the nave showing scenes from the history of the Order. The "Adoration of the Shepherds" (early 16th century), one of Cima da Conegliano's most highly prized works, is at the second side-altar on the right, and Lorenzo Lotto's "St Nicholas and Saints" (early 16th century) is in the left-hand aisle.

This church is in fact dedicated to SS Gervase and Protase but their names were finally abbreviated to Trovaso. The interior is simple but it has several paintings by well-known artists: Tintoretto's "The Last Supper" (left transept) and "The Temptation of St Antony" (left choir chapel), and "St Chrysogonus" by Michele Giambono (right choir chapel).The most important works of art in the church are the marble altar reliefs (right transept) by an unknown artist. They are thought to date from about 1470.

The Seminario Patriarcale to the left of the Church of Santa Maria della Salute houses the Pinacoteca Manfrediniana. The Seminario and the church were both designed by Longhena (1669).The art collection of Marquis Federico Manfredini of Florence contains terracotta busts by Alessandro Vittoria (1515-1608), paintings by Antonio Vivarini (15th century), Cima da Conegliano, Konrad Laib and Filippini Lippi; a major work by Antonio Canova (1757-1822; a bust of Gian Matteo Amadei) and a ceiling-painting in the library, "Glory of the Sciences" (ca. 1720 by Sebastiano Ricci.

This church was founded as early as the seventh century but the present building, which is rather austere, dates from the 17th century.Inside in the organ-loft is a series of pictures depicting the story of Tobias. These important 18th century paintings are by one of the Guardi brothers, but it is not clear whether the artist was Giovanni Antonio Guardi or his younger brother Francesco.

The Customs House was built by G. Benoni between 1676 and 1682 when the Senate hoped they could halt the decline in the Venetian economy by enforcing rigorous customs regulations. On the tip of the spire is a weathervane of Fortuna, seen standing on a gilded globe supported by two telamones.

This palace in the Dorsoduro district was built by the architect Antonio Gaspari between 1680 and 1685. The facade is Baroque, but in its plain structure the building shows elements of the Classical style.

The Collezione Cini contains a collection of Tuscan art of the 13th-16th century; pictures, furniture, ivory carvings.