Scuola degli Albanesi

It was established in 1442, as a brotherhood of immigrants from Albania and served as cultural and social center of Albanian Christians residing or visiting Venice till 19th century.

St. Gallo was chosen as the Patron of the Scuola, together with the Madonna del Buon Consiglio, called by them "Our Lady of Scutari", the Protectress of Albania.

In 1531 the façade was decorated with the coats of arms of the Loredan and Da Lezze families, the heroes of the Scutari sieges of 1474 and 1479,[2] alongside reliefs executed by the Lombardo brothers workshop.

The latter depicts the Virgin and Child with Saints Gallo and Mauritius and the Sultan Mehmed II besieging the castle of Scutari (Shkodër), an allusion to when Albania was threatened by the advancing Ottoman Turks.

In 1504-1508 the main hall, the "Albergo", was decorated with a cycle of large canvases with the Stories of the Virgin by the Italian painter Vittore Carpaccio.