Upon entering the Accademia, you walk right up to major works by important Venetian painters.

Tiepolo:

Veronese:

But:

One of the main reasons I wanted to spend time in the Accademia on this particular visit to Venice was to pay homage to the great decorative ensemble that is housed within, having originally been a major feature of the Sala the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carità. This Scuola Grande was just one of several major confraternities that were quintessential aspects of historic Venice.

The importance and details of this incredibly important institution in Venice is way beyond the scope of my post. Let’s just say this: After the fall of the Republic, the Santa Maria della Carità complex became the property of the state and then, in 1807, was designated as the site of the Accademia di belle arti, or Academy of fine arts, and its gallery following an edict by Napoleon.

Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Carità – Campo della Carità, Dorsoduro 1050 – Venice

Here are my pictures of the incredible Sala dell’ Albergo: