Venice Water Taxi

Scuola di San Giorgio

The Dalmatian community (Schiavoni or Slavs) would gather here in this scuola to perform social and cultural services for immigrants arriving from Dalmatia (present day Croatia). The scuola; School of St. George of the Slavs; confraternity house or school represented the Dalmatian's history and culture. The group had three patron saints: Saint George, St. Jerome and St. Tryphon. The community gained important when they were gifted the relics of St. George in 1502, following this they purchase the former St. Caterina Hospital and Giovanni de Zan designed the restoration and rebuilding of the property creating the scuola. Vittore Carpaccio was given the task of decorate the interior which he did with seven painted panels depicting the Stories of the Patron Saints of the Scuola (1502-1508). Carpaccio's work here is unique in depicting Oriental-type features like the mode of dress and foreign landscapes in the paintings. The scenes include St. George fighting the dragon and St. Augustine in his office with his dog. The art work within the building includes a painted wooden ceiling by Bastian de Muran. The façade is topped with a relief of St. George fighting the dragon (1552) by Pietro di Salo.