The Church of St. Catherine is the cathedral church of the Dominicans; its high dome is the main element of the historic district of “Venezia”.
The costruction works begun in 1720, directed by the architect Giovanni del Fantasia, next to the Ravelin of San Marco.
The ambitions of the designer, to build the church as an imitation of the Pantheon in Rome, created many difficulties and numerous interruptions of the works. During the construction of the octagonal dome, static nature problems also manifested.
In 1753 the church, despite the incomplete facade, was opened for worship and entrusted to the Dominicans, who were housed in the adjacent convent.