THE GARDENS OF VENICE 



churches and chapels in Venice. The ancient shrine 

 of S. Francesco della Vigna took its name from the 

 friars' vineyard, which was said to be the largest in 

 Venice. This convent, in the poorest quarter of the 

 city, was the home of the Osservanti brothers, and 

 its gardens were a favourite haunt of S. Bernardino 

 of Siena, the founder of the reformed Franciscan 

 order, who enjoyed the peace and seclusion of this 

 quiet retreat in his brief intervals of repose. Nor 

 were the nuns without their gardens and orchards. 

 Several of these communities were notorious not only 

 for their riches and popularity, but for the freedom 

 which they enjoyed. According to Casola, they might 

 be divided into two classes, the nuns who were 

 secluded, and those who ought to be secluded. 

 Among the former were the holy sisters of the 

 order of Santa Chiara, whose convent was attached 

 to the church of " La Madonna dei Miracoli," that 

 marvel of decorative beauty reared by Tullio Lombardi 

 early in the sixteenth century. Among the latter 

 were the Benedictine nuns of S. Zaccaria, who in 

 Casola's words " let themselves be seen very willingly, 

 both young and old," 1 and the " Vergini " community 

 of Augustinian nuns, whose convent stood opposite 

 to S. Piero di Castello. The members of this order 

 were all ladies of noble birth, who often appeared in 



1 Casola, 136. 

 '5. 



