This is one of the churches built for the four orphanages of the Ospedali, formed to house the girls sired by a friar who impregnated 15 nuns.
Baldassare Longhena designed this church to shock. Built from 1662 to 1674 in an exaggerated style that emerged in the 17th century, the facade protrudes with lion masks and giant heads with details overstated in the extreme. The baroque proportions stand in sharp contrast to the style of the Lombardi and symbolizes Venetian rebellion against classical traditions.
