Santi Giovanni e Paolo

Santi Giovanni e Paolo -- San Zanipolo in Venetian, a contraction most locals still use -- is among the largest churches in Venice and served as the burial church of the Republic. Twenty-five doges lie here, and from the 15th century onward a doge's funeral was held here almost as a matter of course.

The Dominicans received the site from Doge Jacopo Tiepolo in 1234, reportedly after he dreamt of white doves flying over the marshy ground. Building went on for two centuries; the brick structure was substantially finished in the 1430s. It was dedicated not to the apostles but to two early Roman martyrs, John and Paul.

The interior is essentially a hall of state monuments. Ducal tombs line the walls, alongside those of senators, admirals, and commanders -- among them Marcantonio Bragadin, the Venetian defender of Famagusta flayed alive by the Ottomans in 1571, whose monument holds an urn said to contain his skin. The painters Gentile and Giovanni Bellini are buried here, as is Palma il Giovane.

Among the artworks are a ceiling by Veronese in the Rosary Chapel, Alvise Vivarini's Christ Carrying the Cross in the sacristy, and Bartolomeo Vivarini's Three Saints in the north aisle. A reliquary displays a foot of St Catherine of Siena. Outside in the campo stands Verrocchio's equestrian monument to Bartolomeo Colleoni, among the finest Renaissance bronzes anywhere.

Santi Giovanni e Paolo remains an active parish church, and services take precedence over visiting hours -- entry may be restricted during Mass. As with other historic churches in Venice, appropriate dress covering shoulders and knees is expected.

The church faces the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo in the Castello sestiere, with the Colleoni equestrian statue standing in the square directly in front of it.

• Getting there: a short walk from the Fondamenta Nove or Ospedale vaporetto stops, on the northeastern side of central Venice.
• Tickets: covered by the Chorus Pass, which includes several of Venice's parish churches, or purchasable individually at the door.
• Facilities: the church has no dedicated visitor facilities beyond the nave itself; nearby Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo has cafes and shops.