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Dorsoduro is one of the six districts of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Venice, Italy.
Introduction to Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro translates to “high back”, referring to the area being rocky and stable as well as containing the highest land areas of Venice. It’s centered around the Giudecca Canal and also includes Giudecca and Sacca Fisola The area along the Giudecca Canal was settled in the 6th century and it was built up to the Grand Canal by the 11th century.
In the 19th century, after the Ponte dell’Accademia was built to connect Dorsoduro to San Marco, and the Venice Academy of Fine Arts moved to the area, the area became more exclusive. It was also popular with foreign residents.
Today, Dorsoduro is second behind San Marco as far as concentration of museums. It also contains a number of important churches. Besides the attractions, it’s a pleasant place to walk and enjoy the scenery Venice has to offer. We walked through the main part of Dorsoduro over two days but didn’t have a chance to visit Giudecca.
Campo San Barnaba
First is the attractive Campo San Barnaba, which sits on the Rio de San Barnaba. It has been featured in several movies, including the 1955 film Summertime in which Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) falls into a canal as she steps backwards to take a photo.
Church of San Barnaba
The Church of San Barnaba (Chiesa di San Barnaba) is the most prominent building on the square. The original church was built in the early 9th century and was destroyed by fire in 1105. It was rebuilt in 1350 and took its present form during a reconstruction between 1776 and 1779. The project was funded by the Grimani family and the architect was Lorenzo Boschetti. One fun fact is that the façade doubled as a library in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The church was deconsecrated in the late 20th century and is now used as a permanent exhibition space dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci’s (1452-1519) inventions. Leonardo da Vinci: The Exhibition in Venice (Leonardo da Vinci: La Mostra a Venezia) is open daily. Admission is €9 for adults and €6 for children and seniors age 65+ (as of March 2025).
Gallerie dell’Accademia
The Gallerie dell’Accademia, near Ponte dell’Accademia, is an art gallery exhibiting pre-19th century art. It was established in 1750 as part of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia) and was originally housed in the Fondaco della Farina near Piazza San Marco until 1807. The gallery administratively split from the academy in 1879, but they shared the same building until 2004 when the school moved to another location. Admission is €15 for adults and free for visitors under 18 (as of August 2024). It’s open daily.
The gallery is housed in the complex of Santa Maria della Carità, which includes Scuola della Carità (School of Charity), the Church of Santa Maria della Carità (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Carità), and the Convent of the Lateran Canons (Convento dei Canonici Lateranensi). The complex was originally built in the 12th century and was renovated and expanded under architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), starting around 1560, in an ambitious project that was never completed. The buildings were damaged by fire in 1630, the bell tower collapsed in 1744, and the church was deconsecrated in 1806, allowing for the academy and gallery to move into the complex the following year.
Campo Sant’Agnese
A few steps south is Campo Sant’Agnese, which was settled in the 10th century. It’s peaceful today, but in the late 16th to late 17th century it was a dangerous place with residents hostile to outsiders. In the center is a well dating back to 1500. It features a relief believed to depict St. Agnes with a palm and a lamb.
Church of Sant’Agnese
The Church of Sant’Agnese (Chiesa di Sant’Agnese), which was founded between the 10th and 11th centuries, is on the square. It was closed to worship in 1810 and in the mid-19th century it was restored and became the private chapel of the Cavanis Institute (Istituto Cavanis) next door. The interior of the Romanesque structure has been stripped of its original decorations.
Fondamenta delle Zattere
A few steps south is the Fondamenta delle Zattere, which is a long promenade along the Giudecca Canal. It runs for approximately 1.4 kilometers from the San Basilio vaporetto terminal to the Punta della Dogana. The Zattere, which translates to “raft”, was built between 1516 and 1519 as a dock to receive delivery of goods. These goods arrived on rafts, hence the name Zattere.
The Zattere is oriented towards the south so it’s usually sunny and a popular place to walk. There are also lots of bars and restaurants along the path.
Church of the Gesuati
One of the most prominent landmarks on the Zattere is the Church of the Gesuati (Chiesa dei Gesuati), officially the Church of St. Mary of the Rosary (Chiesa di Santa Maria del Rosario). It was built by the Dominicans between 1725 and 1755 and consecrated on September 29, 1743. The architect was Giorgio Massari (1687-1766). The best view of the church is from a vaporetto on the canal. Admission is €3.50 (as of August 2024) or free for holders of the Chorus Pass.
The church is known as the Gesuati because it was built on land once owned by the Order of the Jesuati, or Jesuates, not to be confused with the Jesuits (Gesuiti). They were founded in 1360 in Siena by Giovanni Colombini (c. 1304-1367) and had arrived in Venice by 1390. The Jesuati built the small Church of St. Jerome (Chiesa di San Girolamo) on the Zattere in 1493 that was later rededicated as the Church of St. Mary of the Visitation (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione). The Jesuati began declining in numbers and the order was eventually abolished by Pope Clement IX on December 6, 1668. The Dominicans purchased their property in Venice the following year, and it’s still known locally as the “Dominicans’ place at the Gesuati”.
Features of the Church of the Gesuati
The façade is topped by an elegant triangular pediment. The entrance is flanked by four niches with statues representing the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, by Gaetano Susali (1724-1779); Justice, by Francesco Bonazza (c. 1695-1770); Fortitude, by Giuseppe Bernardi Torretto (1694-1773); and Temperance, by Alvise Tagliapietra (1670-1747). The statues were completed in 1736/37.
Decoration of the nave began in 1736. Giambattista Tiepolo (1696-1770) painted the frescoes on the ceiling between 1737 and 1739. They depict the Glory of St. Dominic near the entrance, the Institution of the Rosary in the center, and the Appearance of the Virgin to St. Dominic near the altar. Several other impressive paintings and statues can be found inside.
Campo San Trovaso
A few steps in from the Zattere is the picturesque Campo San Trovaso. It’s spread out over two levels and has a small green area on the east side. Of course, it’s one of the few places I visited where I didn’t take a picture decent enough to post here.
Squero di San Trovaso
The Squero di San Trovaso, which is one of the oldest and most famous boatyards in Venice, is on the southeast corner of the square facing the Rio de San Trovaso. It has been functioning since the 17th century. Today, it’s strictly used for gondolas, but in the past other types of traditional Venetian boats were built and repaired there. It’s one of the last boatyards of its kind still in use in Venice.
Church of San Trovaso
The most prominent building on the square is the Church of San Trovaso (Chiesa di San Trovaso), which likely dates back to shortly after the foundation of Venice. The Barbarigo and Caravella families replaced the original church with a new building in 1028 and it collapsed in 1583. The current church was built between 1584 and 1591, but wasn’t consecrated until 1637. It has a double façade facing both Campo San Trovaso and the Rio de San Trovaso. Admission is €3.50 (as of August 2024) or free for holders of the Chorus Pass.
The Church of San Trovaso is on a Latin cross plan and has barrel-vaulted nave with several side chapels. Inside are works by Jacopo (1518-1594) and Domenico Tintoretto (1560-1635). It’s interesting to note that there’s no St. Trovaso, and the name is actually a Venetian combination used to refer to Saints Gervasius and Protasius.
Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute
The Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute) is located at the eastern tip of Dorsoduro, with the façade along the Grand Canal. It’s an important landmark and a symbol of the city. There’s no admission to enter but a small donation is encouraged (as of March 2025).
Santa Maria della Salute was built between 1631 and 1681 as a votive for delivering Venice from a terrible plague that killed about 46,000 people in the city and over 94,000 around the lagoon. Architect Baldassare Longhena (1598-1682) was chosen to design the church, which has an uncharacteristic octagonal design.
Santa Maria della Salute was built on a platform made of 1,000,000 wooden piles and has two domes. A statue of the Virgin Mary stands atop the pediment, and the façade is decorated with statues of St. George, St. Theodore, the Four Evangelists, and other figures. There are two bell towers in the back.
There are three altars and eight chapels surrounding a central nave. The high altar contains a 12th century Byzantine icon of Panagia Mesopantitissa (Madonna the Mediator). It was brought to Venice in 1669 from Heraklion, Crete, by future Doge Francesco Morosini (1619-1694), after the city fell to the Ottomans. The statues surrounding the icon were carved in 1670 by Flemish sculptor Josse de Corte (1627-1679) and depict The Queen of Heaven expelling the Plague.
The floor of the central nave has a representation of the icon. You’ll also find several paintings by Titian (c. 1480-1576) in both the nave and the sacristy.
Church of San Gregorio
Outside Santa Maria della Salute you can see the apse of the Church of San Gregorio (Chiesa di San Gregorio), which was founded in the early 9th century and taken over by the Benedictines in 989, becoming their monastery in 1214. It was rebuilt in the mid-15th century by Antonio da Cremona. The monastery closed in 1775 and it was used as a parish church until it was deconsecrated in 1808. The monastery buildings were converted to housing while the church served some time as a mint laboratory and later an art restoration center. It’s now closed and unused. In 2017, the building was slated for restoration as the new home of the Museum of Oriental Art (Museo d’Arte Orientale), exhibited on the third floor of Ca’ Pesaro since 1928, but the project has not yet begun (as of March 2025).
Punta della Dogana
Finally, at the eastern tip of Dorsoduro is Punta della Dogana, which is an art museum situated in the old customs house of Dogana da Mar. The building was restored by French art collector François Pinault and opened to the public on June 6, 2009. The museum is open daily except Tuesdays. General admission is €18, €15 for visitors over 65, €7 for visitors age 20 to 26, and free for visitors under 20 (as of August 2024). The ticket also includes entry to the Palazzo Grassi on the Grand Canal.
The Dogana da Mar was built between 1678 and 1682 by architect Giuseppe Benoni (1618-1684). It’s crowned by two statues of Atlas holding a golden globe with a figure of Fortune standing on top, all created by Swiss-Italian sculptor Bernardo Falcone (1620-1696). The Fortune statue turns in the wind.
Giudecca
Giudecca is the island across the Giudecca Canal from the main part of Dorsoduro. In ancient times, it was known as Spinalunga, which translates to “Long Thorn”. Giudecca probably comes from “Judaica”, which may indicate a Jewish presence. The island was traditionally full of large palazzos and gardens but was industrialized in the early 20th century. Industry faded after World War II and it’s now a mostly working class residential area.
We didn’t have a chance to visit Giudecca, but we were able to admire it from the Zattere and while riding a vaporetto.
Church of the Most Holy Redeemer
The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer (Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore) is on Giudecca. It was built between 1577 and 1592 as a thanks to God for delivering Venice from a devastating plague in 1575-76 that killed 46,000 people (up to 30% of its population). The architect was Andrea Palladio (1508-1580). The church features a white marble façade decorated with statues and consists of a single nave lined with side chapels. At the transept are three apses and a large single dome. Inside are paintings by artists such as Tintoretto (1518-1594), Paolo Veronese (1528-1588), and Francesco Bassano (1549-1592). Admission is €3.50 (as of March 2025) or free for holders of the Chorus Pass.
Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Presentazione), known as Le Zitelle (The Spinsters), was built between 1581 and 1588. The design is attributed to Palladio but there’s no known evidence to solidify his relationship with the project.
The church was part of the Casa delle Zitelle (Spinster House), a complex founded in 1560 by Adrianna Contarini, Paola Dona, Isabetta Grimani, and Lucrezia Priuli, to assist marriageable virgin girls too poor to have a dowry. The girls were taught trades such as sewing or lace. The original location was a rented building in Cannaregio but it was full after only a few months. They raised enough funds to purchase the current property in April 1561, transforming it into a convent with dormitories, work and study rooms, and a kitchen.
The church has two small bell towers and large dome, and the hospice was situated around a courtyard behind the apse. The Presentation of the Virgin at the temple by Francesco Bassano (1549-1592) sits behind the altar. The hospice has been converted to a luxury hotel and the church is only open on Sundays.
Giudecca Canal
The Giudecca Canal (Canale della Giudecca) splits the Dorsoduro district in half, dividing the main part of Dorsoduro from the island of Giudecca. One of the major canals flowing through Venice, it’s 4 kilometers long, between 244 and 450 meters wide, and up to 12 meters deep, allowing for larger vessels to pass through the city.
A Vaporetto Ride on the Giudecca Canal
My experience with the canal was on a vaporetto ride from the Zattere to San Zaccaria in Castello. After leaving the Zattere terminal, we had a good view of Giudecca. The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer was the most prominent landmark we could spot. We could also look back and see Dorsoduro and the Zattere.
The canal started to open up on the approach to the basin at San Marco and we could spot a few more landmarks. The dome of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute was on the left with St. Mark’s Campanile behind it. To the right we could see the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Church of Santa Maria della Presentazione (Le Zitelle).
A few minutes later, Piazza San Marco came clearly into view opposite San Giorgio Maggiore. To our left was the Punta della Dogana.
The vaporetto turned towards Castello and passed Piazza San Marco, giving us a good look at the Doge’s Palace, Campanile, and St. Mark’s Basilica.
We were then able to see the Riva degli Schiavoni. In the photo below, the red building on the left side is the Palazzo Dandolo.
As the boat began to dock at San Zaccaria, we got another view of Piazza San Marco and Riva degli Schiavoni, and a silhouette of Santa Maria della Salute.
