Venice City Tour: The story of La Serenissima

Charity begins at home

Housed in an impressive 16th century building constructed by the architects Sante Lombardo and Antonio Scarpagnino, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco was the home of the confraternity devoted to Saint Roch. Various such 'schools' had been established in Venice since the 13th century, each dedicated to a saint, Christ or the Virgin Mary. The mission of each scuola was the organization of charitable works and the observation of religious practice. Founded in 1478, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco quickly flourished and became one of the richest and most considerable institutions in the city right up until the 16th century. This was because of the popularity of Saint Roch, who was the patron saint of plague victims and whose tomb, located inside the Church at the Scuola, was a much-visited pilgrimage site.