Initial Acquisition, 1561: Before the Church of Santa Maria della Presentazione delle Zitelle, the women founders of the Casa delle Zitelle rented a building in
contra San Marcilian in Cannaregio. This initial location was near the major prostitution areas of San Marcuola and San Leonardo, which enabled the Zitelle to act as an alternative for young women. Contarini located the future home of the new Casa delle Zitelle in early September, of the same year. Fundraising began shortly after to raise the 8,500 ducats required to purchase the property. The property was officially purchased in April 1561, and the women moved into the medieval house shortly after. They inherited a space for at least 40 people and gardens for fresh air and growing vegetables.
The First Building Campaign, '
1575-77: From Casa da Statio
to Monasterio''''' Only a little was changed about the medieval house after its purchase in 1561, as efforts focused on repaying the debt acquired in purchasing the property. But in 1575 Marina Bernardo and other governatrici oversaw the beginnings of the renovations. The only major additions that were documented were the building of a few fireplaces, a new kitchen, laundry, and swapping the floors and ceilings for lumber. It is theorized that, while there were outlines for new foundation walls, this was only to add additional shoring to the existing walls. Further, the building footprint was kept the same from before this construction so it is guessed that interior walls were removed and the remaining load-bearing walls were expanded to withstand the additional load. Work, study, and eating rooms were located on the ground floor, with the respective dormitories on the floors above. Construction was marked first in June of 1582 when the Congregation petitioned the Senate for assistance to proceed with their project. The Senate granted the Zitelle the use of the inner and outer scaffolding of
Il Redentore once they were no longer necessary. The high altar was completed in 1586 due to the patronage of Bartolomeo Marchesi, the left and right altars were not completed until the early 17th century due to funding issues. When both dome and lantern were completed in 1588 attention quickly turned towards further expansion of the Church and residential spaces. While the Church's design is generally attributed to Palladio, there is no known evidence solidifying the architect's relation to the project. This attribution generally comes from Giovanni Stringa's 1604 edition of the famous guidebook,
Venetia, citta nobilissima, wherein he raves about the new church. Two choirs were added on the second floor of each wing, behind the respective altars on either side of the church. Grated thermal windows were inserted above the side altars to enable the girls to hear the service while not being visible. Dating of the grout in the east wing during the 1980s restoration helped to confirm that the building and further development of this wing happened at this time.
The Fourth Building Campaign, 1596-97: West Wing is Completed After all the development of the Casa delle Zitelle in the recent decades there only remained two goals that had not been accomplished: quarters for the Governatrici and Madonna. The new quarters were placed at the rear of the new west wing and took up the ground, mezzanine, and first floors. This construction was also utilized to add two more dormitories and a wall enclosing the property. == Interior ==