To begin with, how many hospitals present such a gorgeous façade to the public?
Well, that’s how it’s done in Venice. The Ospedale Civile di Venezia may not be the place we would choose to visit while in Venice, but it holds some surprises in its meandering interior.
For example, I found this mosaic flooring at the top of a staircase.
If you remember to look up, you’ll see this depiction of the Pieta.
Administrative offices are found on this floor of the building. There are no boring battleship grey walls to be found here. Instead, the employees get to admire statues, such as these.
When you return to the ground floor, you might encounter one of the many (fat) cats that call that area home. Aside from keeping the rodent population down, I think they might get their fair share of handouts from the staff.
The cats can gaze at statues such as this when they’ve had their fill of mouse hunting and loafing in the sun each day.
Hello World 
Wow… probably not so bad working or being a patient in a hospital that looks clean but not sterile! 🙂 ♥ ❤
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It would be an interesting experience, for sure!
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Thank you for visiting
It’s always interesting to see distant lands
As always Sheldon
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And, thank you for your visit and follow. This world of blogdom is so interesting …
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What an incredible discovery! How amazing it would be to work in such a place each day – would one ever become blind to its beauties? Thanks for the inspiration.
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Hello, Anne. Thank you for your comment and for following my blog.
Unfotunately, I think you’re correct. We soon ignore the beauty around us and take it for granted.
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Hospital – incredible. I am very glad that You presented it to us. Your photos are gorgeous.
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Thank you. Coming from you, that is high praise.
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I can imagine some anally retentive matron in an Aussie hospital having a fit if a cat wandered in. Loved the decor
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That’s for sure, John. It’s good to see an old building still in use every day.
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I might need to stub my toe next time I’m in Venice. Or I could faint. The only time I have fainted in public was in La Fenice not long after it last re-opened (sitting near the front of the stalls during the last act of an opera – major embarrassment). However, the staff were absolutely thrilled to be trying out their new resuscitation room and I was royally attended and treated.
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You picked a wonderful place to have a swoon! I hope you soon recovered with no after effects. The only time I’ve ever fainted was at a ristorante on Torcello. Weird feeling, isn’t it?
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Something about the Italian air? Yes, it was a small comic opera and we laughed afterwards. It scared my unfortunate husband but I only had tonsillitis and had been concealing it from the friends whose anniversary we were celebrating.
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You must have been a bit ill, Hilary.
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It seems only fair to point out that what you see in the photo is the front of the Scuola Grande di San Marco which dates from about 1505. From the entrance, you go though a rather spectacular vestibule, above which is an even more amazing room, and beyond which are a couple of cloisters with hospital offices and treatment areas. Beyond those there is a ‘modern’ (20th century) hospital with a helipad, separate from the Scuola. It became an Austrian military hospital in 1819 and later the civic hospital of Venice.
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They sure do believe in recycling in that country, Bert. I love seeing random pieces of marble that have been retrieved from goodness knows where, used in wall repairs.
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So Italian! So extravagant! So wonderfully full of life!
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Yes, not one buttoned up Anglo-Saxon attitude to be found,
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As we think cats, good Art (2D & 3D), including hardstone inlay work ALL are good for the soul, then why shouldn’t they be good for the body, too? No-one would want to be hospitalised, but there seem to be at least as many instances of various infections gained in the “Sterile” surroundings of modern “clean” hospitals – so – BRING ON THE CATS – and the Art, too!
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There are still staff who don’t adhere to hand washing protocols, they’d be the ones to fear, not cats!
And, you’re right it is hardstone (pietra dura) inlay, not mosaic. There’s a museum in Florence where you can see many examples of this craft..
[Thanks, B., for always watching my back, grammar and facts. 🙂 ]
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I have been in too many hospitals, but never one as beautiful as this one—that is a very lucky cat. I doubt if it could catch a rodent.
I have never travelled so I enjoy photos from bloggers who have seen much of the world.
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I’m not happy to hear you’ve been hospitalised often.
There are quite a few cats wandering around or snoozing in the sunshine, and they’re all pretty podgy.
I also like reading blogs from people who’ve been to different places. It’s such a world of diversity we live in.
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Yvonne, I hope you were only there to wander around and enjoy the surroundings and not to sample their services.
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A few years ago I did experience their emergency department, which was quite enough, thanks.
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I’m pleased to hear you didn’t need a return visit.
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Please avoid to put a ” I like ” about my entries without saying why in a short comment .
Elementary courtesy , my dear!
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Fine, I’ll acknowledge your comment, Michel. 😊
But, where have I commited this misdeed?
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Typing mistake :It is a chance they have not been destroyed to let place to a modern building
Love
%ichel
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They don’t tear down many places in Italy, in general, Michel. Thank goodness.
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At least I’d have something nice to look at in the waiting room. 🙂
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Aha! You’ve peeked, and have seen the pretty Italian nurses, Bun! 🙂
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I’ve been to Venice so many times I’m sure I passed by and didn’t even realize this was a hospital! Nothing like Italian style and sensibility! Where is it the hospital located exactly?
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Do you know where the Basilica of Saints Giovanni and Paolo is? (It’s known as Zanipolo in Venice.) It’s right beside it.
http://www.churchesofvenice.co.uk/sanzanipolo.htm
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Lovely, but probably not clinical enough for our lot
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Now, isn’t that the truth!
Tonight with my dinner, I’m having some 2013 South Australian Basket Press shiraz. It is so good, I wish I could have a bottomless bottle of it!
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Sounds good
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Is it public or private?
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It’s a public hospital. Emergency patients are brought there by water ambulance.
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Now that is a beautiful thing. I wonder if patients want to stay?
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I reckon patients around the world prefer not to be in their hospital, no matter where it is.
(Is your grand-daughter at home, speaking of hospitals?)
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It’s really a hospital. If that doesn’t beat all! Very human, I must say.
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It’s a pretty darned good hospital, in fact, given it’s maze-like interior.
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They’re all maze-like.
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Having visited Pronto Soccorso more than once, the standard of care is as lovely as the facade Yvonne!
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That’s good to hear, Anne. But, not good to hear you’ve had to make use of the facilities.
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You would have to get well in that environment – nothing else would do.
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It reminded me so much of the old St Boniface Hospital, back in the 1950s, Darlene.
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Oh thank you…I have wondered what was behind that gorgeous facade!
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Do take a little stroll in here on your next visit, Jane. Go up the stairs to your right as soon as you go in the entry, and see what they’ve done to restore this area. http://en.venezia.net/venice-scuola-grande-di-san-marco.html
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Speaking of the Scuola San Marco….I always get a chuckle from the thought that Bartolomeo Colleoni and his horse ended up here instead of in the Piazza San Marco!
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Yes, some clever manoeuvring happened there!
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I spied one of those lovely cats out the window from San Giovanni e Paolo…which as you know is right next door.
I, too, would prefer that hospital….after all. It would mean I was in Venice.
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There are quite a few plump cats to be seen not only in the courtyards but also the ground floor corridors, Michelle.
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I will have to take a meander around there in March!
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I hate to get political on your lovely blog Yvonne – but oh dear, can you imagine the field day our overly-circumscribed hospitals would have with a CAT on the premises!! And those statues – far too many places for germs to lurk …….. if I ever become so ill I consent to being hospitalised – please, please, please pack me off to this hospital!!
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Don’t worry about stating what is true, contented one! I’m sure they have a good infection control system, but it’s so refreshing to see the cats, statues and so on. And, isn’t it enlightened that some of our residences for seniors are now allowing pets on the premises!
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Yes, wonderfully enlightened! 🙂
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A hospital in a town I lived in that was cat and statue free, totally modern and sterile, building less than 20 years old, had to be completely torn down because the building itself became infested with some awful antibiotic resistant bacteria. So me too please! Give me the unsanitary cats and statues!
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That is an interesting piece of information, which doesn’t surprise me to hear – thanks for sharing it 🙂
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Crikey! That’s pretty extreme. We sure have created a monster with our antibiotic use, and staff who neglect simple cross-infection prevention techniques.
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Lots of things in that hospital to keep your mind off your illness.
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There are several courtyards for the mobile patients to spend time and get some fresh air, Anneli. Oh, and do some cat- spotting.
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Well, at least they look well fed.
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