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San Polo is the smallest of six districts (sestieri) of Venice, Italy. We only spent a small amount of time there during our stay in the UNESCO World Heritage city.
Campo San Polo
After crossing the Rialto Bridge, we headed into San Polo to have a look around. We first wandered through the narrow streets and got lost a bit near Crooked Bridge (Ponte Storto).
We finally found our way to Campo San Polo, a wide-open square. When we were there, there was a small Christmas market as well as an ice skating rink.
Church of San Polo
On the southern end of the square is the rear of the Church of San Polo (Chiesa di San Polo). It dates back to the 15th century and was finished in 1839, although there was a church on the site since at least 837. The bell tower was built in 1362 and is detached from the church. Inside, there are paintings by Giambattista Tiepolo, Gian Domenico Tiepolo, Tintoretto, and others line the walls. Admission is €3.50 (as of August 2024) or free for holders of the Chorus Pass. Unfortunately it was closed when we walked by.
Campo San Tomà
From there, we crossed a few more bridges and got lost down a few more alleys before making it to Campo San Tomà. On the north side of this small square is the Scholetta dei Calegheri, which became the school for the shoemakers and cobblers guild in 1446. On the south side is the Church of San Tomà (Chiesa di San Tomà), which was built in 1395. A short walk north is Campo dei Frari and the gigantic Basilica of the Friars.
Campo San Rocco
Behind the Basilica dei Frari is Campo San Rocco, which contains two important buildings. The Church of San Rocco (Chiesa di San Rocco), which is on the north side, was built between 1489 and 1508 by architect Bartolomeo Bon. The façade was built between 1765 and 1771 by Bernardino Maccarucci. Inside are some notable paintings by Tintoretto as well as the relics of Saint Rocco. The altar was built by Venturino Fantoni between 1517 and 1524. Admission to the church is €2 (as of August 2024).
Next door is the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, which has an incredible collection of paintings by Tintoretto and considered to be his masterpiece. It was built between 1515 and 1560 for a wealthy brotherhood dedicated to charity. Admission is €10 for adults, €8 for visitors over 65 and from ages 18-26, and free for visitors under 18 (as of August 2024). We didn’t visit.
More Wandering
Finally, we made our way through the maze of alleys and bridges to Dorsoduro, passing the Hotel Palazzetto Madonna in the process. Later during our trip, we visited the Rialto Market.
