Scuola Grande di San Rocco: Tintoretto's own Sistine Chapel
Tintoretto won the commission here by cheating, installing a finished painting in the ceiling while his rivals were still showing their sketches. He then spent the next twenty-three years filling the building with his work.
- What it is
- Museum
- Time to allow
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Ticket at the door
- Best time
- Any time: it is rarely crowded
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Why the Scuola Grande di San Rocco is worth it
The scuole of Venice were brotherhoods of laymen who did charitable work, and the richest of them built themselves halls. The confraternity of San Rocco, the saint who protected against the plague, finished theirs in the 1560s.
From 1564 to 1587 Tintoretto painted its walls and ceilings, the life of Christ upstairs and the life of the Virgin downstairs, the greatest body of his work in one place and, by the brotherhood's account, still in its hands.
What to see
The great hall
The upper hall, its ceiling and walls covered with Tintoretto's scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Mirrors are lent to look at the ceiling.
The Crucifixion
In the Sala dell'Albergo, Tintoretto's vast Crucifixion, crowded with figures round the cross, which he thought his finest work.
The lower hall
The ground floor, with the life of the Virgin, among them the Annunciation and the Flight into Egypt.
How to do it well
- Pick up one of the mirrors by the door to see the ceiling without straining your neck.
- Pair it with the Frari, round the corner.
- Concerts of baroque music are held in the great hall in the evenings.
Where it is
Address
Campo San Rocco, San Polo, beside the Frari
Nearest station
San Tomà, on the vaporetto, about four minutes away
Museums and sights nearby
- Basilica dei Frari100 m
- Gallerie dell'Accademia650 m
- Ca' Pesaro700 m
- Teatro La Fenice750 m
Distances are in a straight line.
Tickets and tours: Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Scuola Grande di San Rocco: common questions
- What is a scuola in Venice?
- A brotherhood of laymen devoted to a saint and to charity. The great ones, the scuole grandi, built halls the equal of palaces.
- How long did Tintoretto work at San Rocco?
- From 1564 to 1587, twenty-three years.
- How much time do you need for the Scuola Grande di San Rocco?
- Allow 1 to 1.5 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.
What visitors say about the Scuola Grande di San Rocco
Rating from Google
Things to do near the Scuola Grande di San Rocco
The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.
- 7See Titian's Assumption at the Frari100 m awayChurch, 45 to 75 minutes, ticket
- 5Ride the whole Grand Canal on the vaporetto250 m awayOn the water, 40 to 60 minutes, a vaporetto ticket or pass
- 3See Venetian painting from Bellini to Titian at the Accademia650 m awayMuseum, 1.5 to 2.5 hours, ticket at the museum, tours online
- 14See modern art and Japanese armour at Ca' Pesaro700 m awayMuseum, 1 to 2 hours, ticket
Artists to see near the Scuola Grande di San Rocco
The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.
Basilica dei Frari, 100 m away
Gallerie dell'Accademia, 650 m away
Where to eat near the Scuola Grande di San Rocco
The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Pasticceria Tonolo4.6Pastry shop, San Pantalon100 m away
- Caffè dei Frari4.5Café, Frari150 m away
- Trattoria Antiche Carampane4.4Trattoria, Rialto500 m away
- Pasticceria Dal Mas4.3Pastry shop, Lista di Spagna600 m away
Hotels near the Scuola Grande di San Rocco
The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Venice. Distances are in a straight line.
- Aman Venice4.8Five-star hotel, Grand Canal500 m away
- The Gritti Palace4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal800 m away
- The St. Regis Venice4.6Five-star hotel, Grand Canal950 m away
- Danieli, Venezia, A Four Seasons Hotel4.5Five-star hotel, Riva degli Schiavoni1.3 km away