Location

This Centre was established in 1423 as a Gesuati's monastery, lay brothers who dedicate themselves to look after the sick, so-called because of their constant appeal to Jesus; at the end of the fifteenth century they also began the construction of the church of "St. Mary of the Visitation".
In 1669, the convent and church were purchased by the Dominican Fathers, who erected the new church of "Santa Maria del Rosario" and began the extension of the monastery under the direction of the architect Giorgio Massari.
In 1810 Napoleon issued a decree for the dissolution of the religious order and confiscated the goods.
From 1815 to 1850 the building was managed by the Municipality of Venice as an orphanage which, from 1851 to 1866, was entrusted to the Somaschi Fathers from San Girolamo but their congregation retired in 1866.
The orphanage was purchased in 1867 by the Congregation of Charity, a lay organization with an educational purpose which decided to sell the property in 1923. On the 4th of August 1923 Don Orione purchased the entire property, thus continuing its work of helping orphans and children with hard family conditions.

Featured artists: Fu Yuxian, Xing Gang, Zhang Wang