Contrà Santa Maria Nuova
Santa Maria Nuova Church is believed to have been designed by Andrea Palladio in 1578 or a few years earlier. In any case, it was built after the architect's death, between 1585 and 1589. In 1579, the land in front of the Convento delle Dimesse (now a Police School) was bought, probably with the intention of starting building. According to some historians, the project may have been directed by Domenico Groppino, an intelligent student of Palladio.
The facade features a gable supported by four Corinthian semi-columns.
The rich pictorial decorations of the interior are now housed in the Municipal Art gallery in Palazzo Chiericati.
This church is the only religious structure, apart from the small Valmarana chapel, which was designed and built by Palladio in Vicenza. The architect's important religious structures were built in and around Venice (the church of San Giorgio on the island of the same name and the "Redentore" and "Zitelle" churches on the Giudecca), with the exception of the said Vicenza structure and the small temple annex of the Villa Barbaro Luling-Buschetti at Maser.