Adrian Mourby uncovers the rich history of Cannaregio, the most northerly of Venice’s six districts

It’s a misty winter’s morning outside Tintoretto’s house in Cannaregio. Here at the tall, pink house on Rio della Sensa the great painter would kiss his wife goodbye and promise to account for the money she had given him for his day. When he’d return late with alcohol on his breath, he’d always insist, against all the available evidence to the contrary, that he’d given most of it away in charitable donations.

Yet Tintoretto did his greatest work in Cannaregio. Just around the corner stands the church of Madonna dell’Orto, a tall brick Gothic structure, much beloved by John Ruskin, that contains some of Tintoretto’s greatest works. There is a massive Last Judgement on one side of the altar, matched by an equally huge Making of the Golden Calf on the other, as well as a Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple, which is arresting in its irregular composition and use of light. Jacopo Tintoretto, also known as Il Furioso, is buried in this church along with members of his family.

Cannaregio is extraordinarily rich in beautiful churches, even by Venice’s high standards. It is the most northerly of the city’s six sestieriand has its share of obelisk-sporting palazzi, but in Tintoretto’s day it was a working-class district full of traders and artisans. Behind what is now called Bottega del Tintorettostands an ornate canalside warehouse decorated on its façade with the relief of a camel. The animal was displayed there so that Moorish traders would know where to find their fellow countrymen.

Cannaregio is rich in beautiful churches and has many secular buildings also worth discovering

Images by Kate Tadman-Mourby

Cannaregio is the most northerly of the city’s six sestieri and has its share of obelisk-sporting palazzi, but in Tintoretto’s day it was a working-class district full of traders and artisans

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

HE WAGNER ROOMS AT CA’ VENDRAMIN

Cannaregio 2400, 30121 Venezia

Associazione Richard Wagner di Veneziaarwv@libero.it

Wagner memorabilia is preserved in the garden wing of the Grand Canal palazzo in which he died. Admission free but donations accepted. The rest of Ca’ Vendramin is now the city’s casino (in the English sense of the word, ie, a gambling house).