Not long ago this campo, second in size only to San Marco, was a throbbing center of activity, hosting shows, bull races, fairs, military parades, and packed markets. Today the activity has dissipated, and children zooming around on bikes and scooters, their voices echoing off surrounding palaces, make San Polo feel even more cavernous. The campo only really comes alive on summer nights, when it hosts the city's outdoor cinema. A stone's throw from the Grand Canal, this neighborhood was settled by some of the richest families of the city. The early 15th-century Palazzo Soranzo (at No. 2170-1) was entirely decorated with frescoes by Giorgione; the baroque building at No. 1957 took the place of the Gothic mansion of the Bernardo family, covered with frescoes by Salviati. The facade of the Renaissance Palazzo Corner Mocenigo, facing the canal, is best seen by looking right from Ponte San Polo on the way to the Frari. If you leave the campo through the Sottoportico dei Cavalli (No. 1957), cross the bridge, take a left, and then cross another bridge and take another left, you'll reach the 17th-century Palazzo Albrizzi, occasionally open to the public for temporary exhibits.
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