San Polo is the smallest of the six sestieri of Venice

Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...

, northern Italy, covering 86 acres (35 hectares) along the Grand Canal

Grand Canal of Venice

The Grand Canal is a canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city...

. It is one of the oldest parts of the city, having been settled before the ninth century, when it and San Marco formed part of the Realtine Islands. The sestiere is named for the Church of San Polo.

Overview

The district has been the site of Venice's main market since 1097, and connected to the eastern bank of the Grande Canal by the Rialto

Rialto

The Rialto is and has been for many centuries the financial and commercial centre of Venice. It is an area of the San Polo sestiere of Venice, Italy, also known for its markets and for the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal....

 bridge since the thirteenth century. The western part of the quarter is now known for its churches, while the eastern part, sometimes just called the Rialto, is known for its palace

Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...

s and smaller houses.

Attractions in San Polo include the Rialto Bridge

Rialto Bridge

The Rialto Bridge is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo.- History :...

, the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto

San Giacomo di Rialto

San Giacomo di Rialto is a church in the sestiere of San Polo, Venice, northern Italy. It is believed to be the oldest church in the city, supposedly consecrated in the year 421. It survived a fire in the Rialto in the early 16th century. It is notable for the large 15th century clock above the...

 (according to legend the oldest in the city), the Campo San Polo

Campo San Polo

The Campo San Polo is the largest campo in Venice, Italy, the second largest Venetian public square after the Piazza San Marco.Originally dedicated to grazing and agriculture, in 1493 it was entirely paved, a well being placed in the middle. It was subsequently used as the scene of many a...

, the House of Goldoni, the Church of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, the Church of San Rocco and the Scuola Grande di San Rocco

Scuola Grande di San Rocco

The Scuola Grande di San Rocco is a building in Venice, northern Italy.-History:The Scuola di San Rocco was established in 1478 by a group of wealthy Venetian citizens, next to the church of San Rocco, from which it takes its name.In January 1515 the project of the building was entrusted...

.