Church of San Zaccaria

 San Zaccaria is a 15th century former monastic church in the Campo San Zaccaria, close to Piazza San Marco. It is dedicated to St. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.
The original church on this site was said to have been one of those founded by San Magno (Saint Magnus) in the 7th century. It was dedicated to Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, whose relics were sent as a gift to Venice by the Byzantine Emperor Leo V while the church was being built – these are under the second altar on the right.

The convent of Benedictine nuns next door is said to have been built at the same time as the church and was for a while the only convent in Venice. Many of its abbesses were the daughters of doges.

Nearly every wall is covered with paintings by 17th and 18th century artists. The church houses one of the most famous work by Giovanni Bellini, the San Zaccaria Altarpiece. The walls of the aisles and of the chapels host paintings by other artists including Andrea del Castagno, Palma Vecchio, Tintoretto, Giuseppe Porta, Palma il Giovane, Antonio Vassilacchi, Anthony van Dyck, Andrea Celesti, Antonio Zanchi, Antonio Balestra, Angelo Trevisani and Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo.

The artist Alessandro Vittoria is buried in the church, his tomb marked by a self-portrait bust.

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