The Ospizio Scrovegni is an ancient hospice located in the Dorsoduro sestiere of Venice, Italy, at Campo Santa Margherita, 3034a/35/36, 30123, near the vibrant Campo Santa Margherita and the former Rio della Scoazzera (filled in 1863). Founded in 1428 through the testamentary bequest of Maddalena degli Scrovegni, a noblewoman from Padua, the hospice was established to provide shelter for 13 impoverished widows, reflecting Venice’s tradition of charitable institutions. The building, characterized by its distinctive neoclassical tympanum, was initially administered by the Procuratia de Citra and rebuilt in 1762 after structural decay. Managed today by the Istituto di Ricovero e di Educazione (IRE) of Venice, it continues to function as a charitable residence, preserving its historical legacy.
The Ospizio Scrovegni was established through the will of Maddalena
degli Scrovegni, dated May 21, 1421, who allocated a substantial sum for
its construction to house 13 poor widows, a charitable act rooted in
Venice’s tradition of social welfare, as seen in the scuole grandi like
Scuola Grande della Carità (now part of Santa Maria della Carità) and
Scuola Grande dei Carmini. Maddalena, who died in 1428, was the daughter
of Ugolino Scrovegni and granddaughter of Enrico Scrovegni, the Paduan
banker who commissioned Giotto’s famous Scrovegni Chapel (Santa Maria
della Carità) in Padua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enrico’s father,
Reginaldo Scrovegni, was an infamous usurer placed in Dante’s Inferno
(Canto XVII), and the family’s wealth, derived from banking, likely
funded Maddalena’s bequest. The Scrovegni family’s connection to Padua
and their charitable legacy in Venice underscore the hospice’s
historical significance, as noted by Franca Semi in Gli Ospizi di
Venezia (1984) and Giovanni Sbordone in Nella repubblica di Santa
Margherita (2003).
Construction began after Maddalena’s death,
with the hospice completed by 1428 on the southern bank of the Rio della
Scoazzera (now filled in), adjacent to Campo Santa Margherita. The
Procuratia de Citra, one of Venice’s three procuracies responsible for
charitable institutions, initially administered the hospice, ensuring
its alignment with Venetian welfare traditions. The building survived
the Napoleonic suppressions of 1806–1810, unlike Santa Margherita or
Santa Maria della Carità, which were deconsecrated, due to its ongoing
charitable function. In 1762, the Procuratia de Citra rebuilt the
hospice “from its foundations” to address structural decay, as indicated
by a dedicatory plaque, preserving Maddalena’s pious intent, as
documented by Giuseppe Tassini in Edifici di Venezia (1885).
In
the 19th century, the hospice continued under Venetian municipal
oversight, and today, it is managed by the IRE, which maintains its role
as a residence for the elderly, similar to the Scuola di San Giorgio
degli Schiavoni’s charitable legacy. Restorations in the 20th century,
overseen by the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici, addressed
acqua alta damage, particularly to the ground floor, ensuring the
building’s preservation. The Ospizio Scrovegni remains a testament to
Venice’s medieval charitable institutions, blending historical
significance with continued functionality.
The Ospizio Scrovegni is situated in the Dorsoduro sestiere, a
culturally vibrant district known for its student life, artistic
institutions, and lively squares, at Campo Santa Margherita, one of
Venice’s largest and most dynamic public spaces. The hospice is near
Chiesa di Santa Margherita (50 meters), Chiesa di Santa Maria dei
Carmini (100 meters), Palazzo Basadonna Giustinian Recanati (300
meters), Chiesa di San Raffaele Arcangelo (300 meters), Ca’ Bembo (400
meters), Ca’ Rezzonico (300 meters), Santa Maria della Carità (Gallerie
dell’Accademia) (400 meters), Peggy Guggenheim Collection (500 meters),
and Palazzo Balbi (400 meters). Its inland campo setting, once adjacent
to the Rio della Scoazzera, aligns with the vibrant community hubs of
Santa Margherita and San Carmini, contrasting with the canal-front
prominence of Palazzo Gussoni, Palazzo Balbi, Palazzo Barbarigo della
Terrazza, Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto, Ca’ Rezzonico, Santa Maria della
Carità, Ca’ Bembo, and Palazzo Loredan, or the isolated island of San
Michele in Isola.
The nearest vaporetto stops are Ca’ Rezzonico
(Lines 1 and 5.1, 300 meters) and San Tomà (Lines 1 and 2, 400 meters),
with Accademia (Lines 1 and 2, 400 meters) also accessible. The Santa
Lucia railway station is 1.2 km away, reachable by vaporetto or a
15-minute walk, and Piazza San Marco is 1.3 km away, a 20-minute walk
via the Accademia Bridge. The Alilaguna service to Venice Marco Polo
Airport (13 km) is available at Zattere (600 meters). The hospice’s
location in Campo Santa Margherita offers a lively yet less
tourist-heavy experience compared to San Marco’s San Moisè, San Zulian,
Zecca, Negozio Olivetti, Palazzo Loredan, and Palazzo Zaguri, but it is
more accessible than the peripheral San Michele in Isola or San Biagio.
As a functioning hospice managed by the IRE, the Ospizio Scrovegni
is not open to the public for regular visits, limiting access to
exterior viewing or special events, such as guided tours organized by
cultural associations like Conoscere Venezia (+39 041 275 0817,
www.conoscerevenezia.it). The exterior, visible from Campo Santa
Margherita, is a draw for architecture enthusiasts, similar to Palazzo
Gussoni, Palazzo Balbi, and Palazzo Loredan, but its interior is
inaccessible without permission, unlike the museums of Peggy Guggenheim
Collection, Ca’ Rezzonico, Santa Maria della Carità, Scuola di San
Giorgio degli Schiavoni, and Palazzo Zaguri. Visitors should check tide
forecasts via the Hi!Tide app, as acqua alta may affect Campo Santa
Margherita, and plan exterior visits during daylight for optimal
viewing.
The Ospizio Scrovegni is a modest yet distinctive example of Venetian
architecture, with its original 15th-century Gothic structure rebuilt in
1762 in a neoclassical style, likely under the supervision of an
architect from the Procuratia de Citra, possibly influenced by Giorgio
Massari (known for Ca’ Rezzonico). The building’s neoclassical tympanum
sets it apart in the Gothic-dominated Campo Santa Margherita, as noted
by Egle Renata Trincanato in Venezia Minore (2008).
Exterior
The façade, facing Campo Santa Margherita, is a simple yet elegant
composition in brick and Istrian stone, rebuilt in 1762. Key features
include:
Neoclassical Tympanum: A heavy triangular pediment
crowns the façade, a distinctive neoclassical feature, with a central
rectangular window illuminating the attic, flanked by seven smaller
windows for light and ventilation, as described in Wikipedia (Italian).
Piano Nobile: Seven rectangular windows, with the central three above a
dedicatory plaque, illuminate the main hall, while two pairs of lateral
windows light secondary rooms, reflecting functional design.
Ground
Floor: Three entrances, with the central one leading to the hospice and
two lateral doors accessing adjacent shops, maintaining the campo’s
commercial vibrancy. Two arched openings separate the building from
neighboring structures, contrasting with the otherwise lintelled
apertures.
Dedicatory Plaque: Above the central entrance, a faded
Latin inscription reads: HOSPITIUM HOC – VETUSTATE CONSUMATUM – NE PIA
VOLUNTAS – MAGDALENAE DE SCRIVIGNIS PATAVINAE – EFFECTU DEFICERE –
PROCURATORES D. MARCI DE CITRA – A FUNDAMENTIS RESTAU RAVERUNT ANNO DOM
(1762), commemorating the Procuratia’s restoration to honor Maddalena’s
will.
The façade’s neoclassical simplicity contrasts with the Gothic
fiorito of Palazzo Molin, Palazzo Loredan, Ca’ Bembo, and Palazzo
Zaguri, the Baroque opulence of Ca’ Rezzonico, San Moisè, and San
Geremia, and the Renaissance elegance of San Michele in Isola, Santa
Maria dei Miracoli, and Zecca. Its functional design aligns with the
modest façades of Scuola di Santa Maria degli Albanesi and Scuola di San
Giorgio degli Schiavoni, but the tympanum adds a unique neoclassical
touch, similar to La Maddalena and Nome di Gesù.
Interior
The
interior, closed to the public, is designed for residential use, with
minimal historical documentation available. Based on Franca Semi’s Gli
Ospizi di Venezia (1984), it likely includes:
Main Hall: A
central space on the piano nobile, used for communal activities, with
simple plaster walls and a wooden ceiling, reflecting the hospice’s
modest purpose.
Residential Rooms: Small apartments for residents,
arranged around the main hall, with functional layouts and minimal
decoration, unlike the opulent interiors of Ca’ Rezzonico or Palazzo
Barbarigo Minotto.
Courtyard: A small internal courtyard, typical of
Venetian hospices, provides light and ventilation, similar to the
courtyards of Ca’ Bembo and Palazzo Zaguri.
The interior’s
utilitarian design contrasts with the artistic richness of San Carmini,
San Geremia, and Ca’ Rezzonico, aligning with the functional spaces of
Santa Maria della Carità, Santa Margherita, Ca’ Bembo, and Scuola di San
Giorgio degli Schiavoni.
The Ospizio Scrovegni lacks significant artistic features due to its
charitable function, with no documented paintings or sculptures
surviving from its original construction. The primary artistic element
is:
Dedicatory Plaque (1762): The faded Latin inscription above
the entrance, commemorating Maddalena Scrovegni’s bequest and the
Procuratia’s restoration, is a modest historical marker, similar to the
reliefs on Scuola di Santa Maria degli Albanesi and Scuola di San
Giorgio degli Schiavoni.
Potential Lost Decor: Franca Semi suggests
minor frescoes or stucco decorations may have existed in the main hall,
possibly by a 15th-century Venetian artist, but these were likely
removed during the 1762 rebuild or later renovations.
The hospice’s
lack of artworks contrasts sharply with the masterpiece-laden San
Apostoli (Tiepolo), San Giuseppe di Castello (Veronese), San Zulian
(Veronese), San Carmini (Cima), Santa Maria della Carità (Giorgione),
Ca’ Rezzonico (Tiepolo), Scuola di San Giorgio degli Schiavoni
(Carpaccio), Santa Maria dei Miracoli (Lombardo), and Palazzo Zaguri
(modern exhibitions), aligning with the modest decor of San Biagio, Nome
di Gesù, Santa Margherita, San Michele in Isola, Ca’ Bembo, Palazzo
Loredan, and Zecca.
The Ospizio Scrovegni embodies Venice’s medieval tradition of
charitable institutions, reflecting the city’s commitment to social
welfare, akin to the roles of Scuola Grande dei Carmini, Scuola Grande
della Carità (now Santa Maria della Carità), and Scuola di San Giorgio
degli Schiavoni. Maddalena Scrovegni’s bequest, tied to the legacy of
the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, connects the hospice to a broader
narrative of redemption and philanthropy, as Enrico Scrovegni’s chapel
was built to atone for his father’s usury, as noted in Dante’s Inferno.
Managed by the IRE, the hospice’s continued function as a residence
for the elderly parallels the charitable legacy of Scuola di San Giorgio
degli Schiavoni, contrasting with the museum roles of Santa Maria della
Carità, Ca’ Rezzonico, Palazzo Zaguri, and Negozio Olivetti, or the
academic use of Ca’ Bembo. Its location in Campo Santa Margherita, a
social hub for locals and students, enhances its community role, similar
to San Carmini and Santa Margherita, contrasting with the tourist-heavy
San Marco sites like San Moisè, San Zulian, Zecca, Negozio Olivetti, and
Palazzo Loredan. The hospice’s preservation through the Soprintendenza
aligns with efforts for San Carmini, San Geremia, Santa Maria della
Carità, Ca’ Rezzonico, and Palazzo Zaguri, ensuring its historical
legacy.
The Ospizio Scrovegni is not a tourist destination due to its active
role as a residential hospice, limiting visitor access to exterior
viewing or rare guided tours organized by cultural associations like
Conoscere Venezia or during special events. Tripadvisor reviews of Campo
Santa Margherita (4.5/5, ranked among Dorsoduro’s top attractions)
mention the hospice as a “historical highlight” of the square, praising
its “distinctive neoclassical tympanum” but noting the lack of interior
access, similar to Palazzo Gussoni, Palazzo Balbi, Palazzo Loredan, and
Ca’ Bembo. The exterior, visible from the campo, is a draw for
architecture enthusiasts, with the tympanum and dedicatory plaque
highlighted as “understated yet elegant,” as per Monica Cesarato’s blog.
The vibrant Campo Santa Margherita, with its cafés, gelaterias, and
market stalls, offers a lively backdrop, enhancing the exterior visit,
similar to the community vibe of San Geremia’s campo or San Carmini’s
square. Nearby attractions include:
Chiesa di Santa Margherita
(50 meters): Deconsecrated auditorium.
Chiesa di Santa Maria dei
Carmini (100 meters): Gothic-Baroque church with Cima’s altarpiece.
Ca’ Rezzonico (300 meters): 18th-century Venetian museum.
Santa Maria
della Carità (Gallerie dell’Accademia) (400 meters): Venetian
masterpieces.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (500 meters): Modern art
museum.
Dining options like Osteria alla Bifora (50 meters) or
Gelateria il Doge (100 meters) offer Venetian cuisine and gelato.
For
a family of four seeking affordable three-star accommodation in
Dorsoduro, options include Hotel Agli Alboretti (300 meters) or Hotel
Tiziano (400 meters), bookable via Booking.com or Tripadvisor. Visitors
should focus on exterior viewing, contact cultural associations for rare
tours, and check acqua alta conditions via the Hi!Tide app, pairing the
visit with Campo Santa Margherita’s attractions like San Carmini and Ca’
Rezzonico for a comprehensive experience.