The church of San Zaccaria is one of the oldest in Venice. The first structure dates back to the beginning of the 9th century, almost 1200 years ago, although the facade is in Renaissance style with its serene white and pink and its gentle curves. It is also known as the church of murders, as many of the first doges were murdered in this very field.
To the right of the church you will see a red brick building and a tower; this was an old convent for nuns, although they had the reputation of being rather immodest and promiscuous. This is because, in fact, many of them came from the noble families of the city and entered not so much for religious vocation as to satisfy family interests, since a lot of money circulated in the convents and it was considered quite strategic to have a family member within the ecclesiastical environment. The convent was infamous for its parties and licentious meetings with boys, but if you look for the house number 4697, you will see a plaque that strictly prohibits “playing, making noise, dirtying the ground and committing any unseemly act”, to the point that for centuries both entrances to the camp remained closed in the evening after sunset.
