This is the Scuola Grande dei Carmini. Venice's 'scuole,' large and small, were everything from workers' trade guilds to charitable organizations. The 'scuole grande' were the largest, and distributed money and care to the poor, the sick, the elderly, orphans, etc. The scuole were a major part of Venetian life from the eleventh century onward. Each scuola was founded with an association to a patron saint, in this case, the Virgin of Carmel.

The confraternity dedicated to the Virgin of Carmel—the Scuola Grande dei Carmini--was the last to be founded in Venice, in 1594. By 1675 it was the largest institution in Venice devoted to charitable works, with 75,000 members. At the time, this was about half the population of the city.

The brotherhood built its meeting hall circa 1688, near its church. The classical building has been attributed to the architect Baldassare Longhena; it is stately but fairly simple. The brotherhood did not seriously start decorating the interior until the 18th Century. These things took time.

All over the city, the monuments to these scuole survive, in the forms of meeting halls and churches. Some of the buildings have other uses today. For example, the former Scuola Grande della Carita is now the Accademia, the famous art museum of Venice.