12 - Ponte De San Rocco
Ponte De San Rocco - Home to “the sham nun”
On leaving the Goldoni museum, turn left…
Cross the Ponte San Tomà and turn right into Campiello San Tomà.
Turn right again, crossing Campo San Tomà and taking the left passage alongside the church.
Turn right, then immediately left, following signs for “Scvola Grande di San Rocco.”
At the end of Calle Larga, you emerge at Campo dai Frari.
Continue to follow signs for “Alla Ferrovia” and “Piazzale Roma” into Campo San Rocco.
Take the second street on your left, through the Sotoportego San Rocco (alternatively, you can first pay a visit in this square to the Da Vinci Interactive Museum, or the absolutely stunning Tintoretto Scuola Grande di San Rocco 16th century art gallery).
Walk to the middle of the small bridge, Ponte De San Rocco.
Casanova writes that “the first house on the left, after the bridge” - he doesn’t specify in which direction - was home to a prostitute who, while dressed as a nun, tried to trick him and his English friend into believing she was M—- M—-, “the nun of Murano” with whom he was infatuated, despite already being in a relationship with another.
Having overhead Casanova tell his friend that he “would not hesitate an instant to pay five hundred zucchini to have her with me for two or three hours,” Count Capsucefalo arranged for the liaison to happen, presenting a portrait of her as proof that “he was the only person she trusted.”
“Though masked, she arrived in her nun’s habit; but I am vexed with myself for not at least suspecting the deceit when I saw her long hair, for I know that nuns had their hair cut. She said that those who prefer to keep it under their caps are free to do so, and I believed her. The hussy was speaking the truth…
I examined her features with equal attention and surprise, holding the portrait, which was painted with the bosom bare. I said that so far as bosoms were concerned, painters invented them; and the shameless wench seized the occasion to show me the copy was true to the original. I turned my back on her, … for the portrait resembled M.M. and it also resembled the strumpet, and the latter did not resemble M.M.”
The prostitute confessed to being paid one hundred zecchini by Capsucefalo to dress as a nun and meet with Casanova and the Englishman, adding “I can mask as I please and I can’t stop men who sleep with me from thinking I am a saint if it amuses them.”