Scuola Grande di San Rocco

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is where you go in Venice to understand Tintoretto. The confraternity was founded in 1478 and named after St Roch, who was venerated as a protector against plague, a constant threat in a port city. Its grand headquarters was begun by Pietro Bon in 1515 and continued by Sante Lombardo and Antonio Scarpagnino before Giangiacomo dei Grigi completed it in 1560. The confraternity still exists and still runs the building.

In 1564 Tintoretto won the commission to decorate the building, and over the next twenty-three years, working with assistants including his son Domenico, he covered its walls and ceilings with dozens of canvases. The visit usually starts in the ground-floor hall, the Sala Terrena, with scenes from the life of the Virgin. A grand staircase leads to the upper hall, where the ceiling shows Old Testament episodes and the walls show the life of Christ, together running from the Fall to the Redemption. The adjoining Sala dell'Albergo holds the Crucifixion, a vast and crowded canvas that many consider his masterpiece. Paintings by Titian and Palma il Giovane are also in the collection.

The sheer quantity of painting can be overwhelming, and the ceiling canvases are high up, so take your time and rest your neck between rooms. The carved wooden benches and panelling around the upper hall are worth attention too. Next door, the church of San Rocco has further Tintoretto works and has its own opening times.

The Scuola is open every day from 9:30 to 17:30, with last tickets at 17:00, and closes on 25 December and 1 January; check the official site for extraordinary closures. The admission charge goes to restoring the building and its art, and cash and cards are accepted. Allow an hour to ninety minutes. It is ideal for art lovers and anyone interested in the Renaissance, and it is often quieter than the major museums. Combining it with the Frari opposite makes a rewarding two or three hours in San Polo.

The Scuola is about eight minutes' walk from Santa Lucia station, five from Piazzale Roma and three from the San Tomà vaporetto stop. The Basilica dei Frari is just across the square.