San Polo, Venice

This impressive white marble building was constructed between 1515 and 1560 to a design by Bartolomeo Bon. The Scuola has become world-famous because of its series of paintings by the great 16th century artist Tintoretto.There are eight large paintings by the Master with scenes from the Life of the Virgin, including "The Annunciation", "The Flight into Egypt" and "The Massacre of the Innocents" on the ground floor.The large hall on the upper floor has ceiling- and wall-paintings executed by Tintoretto between 1575 and 1581.The works in the Committee Room (Sala dell'Albergo) date back to 1564 and 1576, and include "The Glorification of St Roch", "Christ before Pilate", the "Ecce Homo" and "The Crucifixion".

This domed Renaissance-style church, in the form of a Greek cross, is one of the masterpieces of Mauro Coducci who built it between 1479 and 1504 on the foundations of an earlier church. It is dedicated to St Chrysostom.Of interest in the interior are a late work by Giovanni Bellini, "St Jerome, St Christopher and St Augustine" (1513; first side chapel on the right) and, over the High Altar, "Madonna and Saints" (including St Chrysostom; 1509-11) by Sebastiano del Piombo.Also of interest is the marble bas-relief (1500-1502) by Tullio Lombardo on the second altar on the left.

The original Later Gothic church, founded in the 9th century was reconstructed and drastically altered in the 19th century; the Campanile (14th century) has survived unaltered.Of interest inside is "The Last Supper" which Tintoretto painted in 1568-69. This is his second version of the theme; another one dating from 1547 is in the Church of San Marcuola while a third version, which he painted much later, can be seen in San Giorgio Maggiore. Also of interested in San Polo are the bronze statue near the High Altar by Alessandro Vittoria and G. B. Tiepolo's painting "Madonna with St John of Nepomuk".

Although the present church was only built in 1836-43, the foundation goes back to the ninth century. The Classical facade was completed in 1909. Over the first side altar on the right can be seen the monumental painting "The Baptism of Christ" (1580) by Jacopo Tintoretto. In contrast to his picture on the same biblical subject in the Scuolo di San Rocco, this painting is confined to a personal meeting between John the Baptist and Christ, who is illuminated by the dove of the Holy Spirit.

Built in the 17th century Palazzo Mocenigo-Nero is one of a group of palaces which all belonged to the aristocratic Moncenigo family. Seven members of the family held the office of Doge of Venice between 1414 and 1778 and thus left their mark on Venetian history. Adjoining the Palazzo Moncenigo-Nero is a double palace where Byron lived in 1818 and 1819. The oldest Moncenigo palace is the Casa Vecchia (1579) in Late Renaissance style.

This palace, situated on the broad mouth of the Rio Foscari, was built in 1582-1590 to the plans of Alessandro Vittorio. The facade reveals characteristic features of Mannerism, the transitional architectural style between late Renaissance and early Baroque, expressed in the arrangement of double columns in the arcades, pierced gables and oval window openings. Since 1973 the Palace has been occupied by the central administration of Venice.

The birthplace of 18th century Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni, the house contains personal memorabilia as well as interesting exhibits on theater history. This is also the site of a theater institute.