Santa Margherita, Former Romanesque church in Dorsoduro, Venice, Italy.
Santa Margherita is a former church in Dorsoduro with a restored exterior facade and a shortened bell tower that no longer reaches its original height. Inside, a large open hall with tall windows provides bright light and ample space for lectures and gatherings.
Construction began in 836 under a merchant and received consecration in 853 as a three-aisled basilica. Over the centuries it served as a tobacco factory, Protestant chapel, and cinema before becoming a university space.
The building sits on Campo Santa Margherita, a central plaza that remains equally busy with students and residents today. The place preserves memories of its religious past through interior details while functioning as a university learning center.
The building sits centrally on Campo Santa Margherita and is easy to reach on foot by following main routes through Dorsoduro. The interior is bright and spacious, with clear sightlines that make orientation straightforward.
A large painting by Antonio Zanchi hangs from the ceiling depicting the martyrdom of Saint Margaret, preserving the site's religious history. This artwork connects the former sacred function with today's academic life happening beneath it.
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