Humble though it may seem from the outside – especially after the opulence of I Gesuiti across the street – this simple 12th-century oratory is positively plastered on the inside with 16th-century masterpieces by Palma Il Giovane. The oratory was originally part of a hospice set up by brothers of the Crociferi order to give shelter to pilgrims and provide assistance to the sick, and found a powerful benefactor in the 13th century: Doge Renier Zen. Doge Pasquale Cicogna ordered the place frescoed in honour of the Crociferi, Doge Zen, Venice, and (of course) himself. With works like his 1585 Doge Renier Zen and the Endowment of the Crociferi, Palma Il Giovane set the walls ablaze with sunset shades of golden yellow and rose red.
