Church of San Trovaso
30123 Venice Venice
A Church of Two Saints and Two Doors
The Church of San Trovaso stands in the quiet Dorsoduro district of Venice, near the famed gondola boatyard of the same name. Its name is a Venetian contraction of Saint Gervasius and Saint Protasius, twin martyrs of the early Christian Church. The church’s original foundation dates back to the 9th century, making it one of the city’s early places of worship.
One of the church’s most interesting features is its two identical façades, one facing the canal and the other facing the square. This unusual design, completed in 1584, is said to have been created to accommodate two rival Venetian factions—allowing both groups to access the church separately and avoid conflict.
Recommended Nearby:
Church of Saint Sebastian
The Church of Saint Sebastian was built in the early 16th century in the Dorsoduro district of Venice, during a time of deep concern over recurring outbreaks of plague.
Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini
The Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini was founded by the Carmelite Order in the late 13th century. Built in honor of the Virgin Mary, it represents Venice’s historic connection to Carmelite spirituality, rooted in the traditions that trace back to Mount Carmel in the Holy Land.
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Images by Didier Descouens, licensed under CC BY‑SA 4.0 — via Wikimedia Commons.