We could not even imagine what a wonderful surprise awaits us by crossing the Ponte del Cavallo. From the bridge the view of Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo is magnificent. In front of us are two magical buildings, the Scuola Grande di San Marco and the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo. With the square and the surrounding palaces they form a magnificent whole. San Giovanni e Paolo is the main Dominican church in the city, built of brick in the Italian Gothic style. It is not dedicated to the apostles John and Paul, but to the martyrs of the early Christian church of the same name from Rome. The Venetians colloquially call it San Zanipolo. It is one of the larger Venetian churches with the status of a minor basilica and has served as the tomb of Venetian doges since the 15th century, so that a total of 25 were buried in it. The initiator of the construction was Doge Jacopo Tiepolo, whom God allegedly addressed in a dream and told him that this was the place for his preachers. In the early 15th century, numerous Venetian patricians were appointed procurators of Zanipol to ensure completion and decoration. Finally, almost two centuries after the beginning of the works, the church was consecrated on November 14, 1430. The façade is typical of Italian Gothic, vertically divided into three parts with two massive pilasters and a large central rosette, and two smaller ones on both naves. Zanipol houses the works of many famous artists, such as, Giovanni Bellini, Bartolomeo Bon, Piero di Niccolò Lamberti, Giovanni di Martino, Lorenzo Lotto, Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, Veronese (Ascension, Annunciation and Adoration of the Sages on the Ceiling of the Chapel of Rosario and Adoration of the Shepherds also in the Chapel), Bartolomeo Vivarini and many more. An exceptional experience.