Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Misericordia

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Founded in 1308, the Scuola Grande di Santa Maria della Misericordia was also known as the Scuola di Santa Maria Valverde. Their meeting-hall was built in 1310 and the design was typical of all Scuole Grandi with a lower hall (androne), an upper hall (sala capitolare) and a small albergo for meetings of the banca (governing body). The scuola was enlarged in the middle of the 14th century and altered again a century later when the present façade was built. The central portal was once surmounted by a large stone relief (c.1445-50) of the Madonna della Misericordia, the work of Bartolomeo Buon. The relief was removed in 1612 and is now in the V&A, London. 

In 1532 the scuola, wishing to have larger premises, commissioned Sansovino to build a new meeting hall, which came to be known as the Scuola Nuova della Misericordia. Work was completed (albeit without the projected stone façade) in 1583. The scuola was suppressed at the beginning of the 19th century and the building was used for a variety of purposes, including a gymnasium and sports hall. 

Scuola Grande della Misericordia

Scuola Nuova della Misericordia

Madonna della Misericordia