This is Campo santo Stefano. The huge Palazzo Pisani was historically property of one of the wealthiest families in Venice, and today it is the prestigious Music Conservatory, or “conservatorio”, a word which was coined by Venetians in the 16th century. At the centre of the campo is a statue of Nicolò Tommaseo, a politician, diplomat and literary figure of the 19th century. He was an extremely prolific writer, who, among other feats, single-handedly wrote the Dictionary of Italian Language in seven volumes. Given his bookish reputation and the statue’s design, the statue is often known as the “caga-libri”, Venetian for “book-shitter”. Looking ahead is the left flank of the 14th century Church of Santo Stefano, built in florid Gothic style with a magnificent façade. To the right, and only seemingly detached from the main building, is the church’s bell-tower.
