Le Zitelle
church in Venice
Le Zitelle (officially Santa Maria della Presentazione), or “The Spinsters” is a church in Venice, Italy. It is part of a former complex which gave shelter to young maidens ("zitelle" in Italian) who had no dowry, and is on the eastern part of the Giudecca island. To the east of Le Zitelle, lies Il Redentore, which was constructed around the same time.
Generally attributed to Andrea Palladio, the original design dates to 1580 and the construction to 1581. Its housing edifice surrounds the church in a horseshoe shape, with a court behind the apse. The façade has two orders, surmounted by a tympanum and flanked by two small bell towers. The church has a large dome with a roof lantern.
The interior is an axial plan. It houses works by Francesco Bassano, Antonio Vassilacchi, and Palma il Giovane.
Today, Le Zitelle is part of what is considered the five hidden jewels of Venice.
The public source identifies “Le Zitelle” as church in Venice. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Zitelle, church and Venice.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Le Zitelle”, the useful work is to connect “church in Venice” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 30, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q753370. VIAF identifies the subject as 236624977. The Library of Congress control number is nr90016155. Authority coordinates are 45.427, 12.339. 3 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1580 and 1581.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Le Zitelle”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Le Zitelle primary sources, Le Zitelle archive and Zitelle research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Le Zitelle”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Le Zitelle” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.