Ca' Centopietre Bed and Breakfast Venice, Italy

Salute Church

Eleven architects took part in the competition to build the church and the winner was Baldassarre Longhena.
His design perfectly captured the grandiosity and magnificence that the Serenissima wanted: a church that exalted the Holy Virgin and the Republic at the same time.
The round design (an absolute novelty) symbolised the Madonna's crown and was also a metaphor for virginity, and these images were extended to the city.

The first stone was laid with the plague still raging through the city and the church was consecrated in 1687. From an urban and scenic viewpoint, the enormous church, situated where the Grand Canal flows into Saint Mark's Basin, served to counterbalance the awesome domes of Saint Mark's Basilica and further embellish the landscape.

It is a church with a central plan, covered by a huge dome supported by imposing buttresses.
Externally the octagonal design is distinguished by architectural perspectives, the most grandiose of all being the main facade with its impressive portal, emphasised by the wide stairway leading to it.
The interior is both sober and majestic, with solid archways divided by composite columns.

Above the opulent main altar is a marble group depicting Venice kneeling before the feet of the Madonna and begging her for protection. Also at the main altar is an image of the Virgin from the 13th century Greek-Byzantine school.

San Barnaba

San Barnaba square and Ponte dei Pugni bridge
This is a typical Venetian campo at which the boats selling vegetables coming from the islands moored. Nearby, there is the Ponte dei Pugni bridge. It takes its name from a spectacular dispute between two opposing Venetian factions, the Castellanis and the Nicolottis, who fought on the bridge and who left their footprints on it.

Ca Rezzonico

Ca' Rezzonico
One of the most beautiful Palaces in Venice, it was started by Longhena for the Bartolomeo Bon family in 1667. It was completed for the Rezzonico family (who had become joint owners) by Giorgio Massari, who made considerable modifications, such as the large staircase and the ballroom, which was decorated with frescoes by Crosato. Today, it is a museum dedicated to eighteenth century Venice and contains period pieces taken from other palazzi, the most famous of which is the carved furniture by Andrea Brustolon

Santa Margherita Square

Santa Margherita Square
A picturesque campo surrounded by old fourteenth century palaces and the little church Santa Margherita, which is today a university auditorium. The old belltower still has Baroque stone decorations.

Scuola Grande dei Carmini

Scuola Grande dei Carmini
The headquarters of the Carmelite lay confraternity that provided assistance and charity. It was also dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary and was officially estabilished in 1595. The current seat was built by Longhena in 1667 on pre-existing smaller buildings. In 1739 Tiepolo painted pictures for the ceiling of the albergo (great hall) with symbols of the Virgin Mary and Saint Simeon Stock receiving the scapular of the Carmelite Order from the Virgin

Palazzo Zenobio

Palazzo Zenobio
This Palazzo was originally in Gothic style and belonged to the Morosini family. In the seventeenth century it was sold to the Zenobio family, who commissioned the architect Antonio Gaspari to

completely renovate it. Inside, it is decorated with stuccoes by the Swiss plasterer Abbondio Stazio and with frescoes by Luigi Dorigny. The ballroom still contains the stand for the orchestra above the central door. Paintings by Carlevaris adorn the small portico. The fine classical portico overlooks the vast French style garden

Church of San Nicolò

Church of San Nicolò
One of Venice's oldest churches, it was founded by 'patavini' (inhabitants of Padua), who lived in the islands of the lagoon in the seventh century to escape the Lombard invasion. It was rebuilt in the twelfth century, and the central part of the facade dates back to that period. The arch in the apse of the main altar is Byzantine.

Church of San Angelo Raffaele

Church of Angelo Raffaele
The foundation dates back to the seventh century shortly after Venice was first settled but the church was rebuilt in 1618. Inside, the organ nave contains a wash drawing by Giannantonio Guardi dated 1750 that depicts stories about Tobiolo. Parts of this church and that of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli are the oldest in Venice

Parts of this church and that of San Nicolò dei Mendicoli are the oldest in

Church of San Sebastiano

Church of S. Sebastiano
This church was designed by Scarpagnino in the sixteenth century. In 1555 Paolo Veronese began to create the many paintings that adorn the sacristy, the ceiling of the central nave and the apse of the main altar. At the foot of the organ, which is also decorated with works by Veronese, a stone indicates the place were the artist is buried

The Churchs of Gesuati and San Trovaso

Church of the Gesuati
The order of the Jesuits was suppressed in 1868 and the church and monastery were handed over to the Dominicans. In 1724 the architect Giorgio Massari was commissioned to build the new church. The inside has no side naves but contains altar pieces by Piazzetta, Sebastiano Ricci and Gian Battista Tiepolo. The latter was also commissioned with decorating the ceiling with illustrations of the history of the Dominicans

Church of San Trovaso

The current building dates back to the end of the sixteenth century and is in Palladian style. It contains works by Tintoretto, Palma il Giovane and Gianbono