The San Salvador convent dates back to the 11th and 12th Centuries. The Romanesque and Gothic buildings were given a Renaissance overhaul in the 16th Century, when a series of frescos by Fermo Ghisoni (see refectory photo) were added.

As the Venetian Republic went into decline, so did the Convento--and after Napoleon's Army conquered Venice in 1797, the convent became a military barracks during the French and Austrian occupations. The Italian telephone network took over the complex of buildings in 1925, and today--after a major restoration and conversion program--the S. Salvador convent is open to the public.

Several areas of the complex are of architectural or historic interest, even to the layman:

The two large cloisters (see photo at top of page).
The water theatre, where you can see a barred canal gate that bears a strong resemblance to the Traitors' Gate at the Tower of London. (See inset photo above.)
The refectory (see photo), which is elaborately decorated with 16th Century frescoes and stuccowork by Fermo Ghisoni.

Next page: Museum exhibits

In this article:
Introduction	Museum exhibits
San Salvador convent	Visitor information

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