Scuola Grande di San Rocco: Overall view of the Church of Saint Roch with the scuola facade to the left

The fa\u00E7ade of Chiesa di San Rocco dates from 1765 to 1771.\u000a\u000aReligious confraternities, formed in the 13th century and dedicated to a patron saint, the scuole met for church services, for the funerals of their members and for their yearly banquets. There were six 'grand', large confraternities. Founded in the aftermath of the plague of 1478, it rapidly gained the status of a scuola grande. Originally it had few resources, but veneration of St. Roch and the fear generated by repeated visitations of the plague, notably those of 1478, 1527 and 1571, encouraged many Venetians to make bequests and gifts to it; by the end of the 16th century it was the richest of all Venice's scuola grandi. It was the only scuola grande to build its own church, S Rocco (begun 1489; consecrated 1508; rebuilt 18th century). From 1527 Antonio Scarpagnino [Antonio Abbondi] continued the work, bringing a more classicizing style to the upper storey. It houses a large painting cycle by Tintoretto.