I.R.E. (Istituzioni di Ricovero e di Educazione)

I.R.E. (Istituzioni di Ricovero e di Educazione)

Address	S. Marco, 4301, 30124 Venezia
Telephone	041 521 7411
Website	http://www.irevenezia.it/

History

Since the Middle Ages the city of Venice was full of services and numerous initiatives both religious and civilian for those in need. Hospitals for pilgrims and free houses for the poor and widows, including the Ca’ Dio and the Crociferi were made available. The needy received a small pension, derived from capital left by benefactors.

These services were administered by the Procuratori di San Marco or the Procurators of San Marco, appointed by the Doge and charged with the protection of orphans and those requiring assistance. There were two procuratori in Venice: the Procuratori de Citra who performed charity functions in San Marco, Castello and Canaregio and the Procuratori de Ultra, who dispensed the same function in Dorsoduro, Santa Croce and San Polo.

In the sixteenth century there was a great reform in the public assistance and health care system. The “Ospedali Grandi” or Great Hospitals, created and managed by wealthy citizens and devotees, housed sick, beggars and young orphans all together in one large structure.

Other “luoghi pii” or pious organizations also assisted those in need. These centers of prevention and education included the Casa dei Catecumeni (House of the Catechumens), the Zitelle, Relief and il Soccorso (the Penitents). These organizations dedicated themselves to the maintenance of the poor girls preparing them for marriage or monastic life with education, the work of lace, music. Among hospitals distinguished that of Derelitti in San Giovanni e Paolo, said the Ospedaletto, famous among others especially for the care of the sick.

In 1807 a decree of Napoleon Bonaparte unified all of these institutions in the Congregazione di Carita (Charity Congregation), a public body set up in each municipality of the Kingdom of Italy.

The Ospedaletto was then committed to the service of the elderly and disabled in the city of Venice. Orphans were educated in the orphanages of the Gesuati and Terese, and in the famous college Manin, built at the behest of the last Doge Ludovico Manin.

Throughout the nineteenth century, while under the Austrian Government and, since 1866, under Italian government, the orphanages of the Charity Congregation were known for training of young people as artisans and spinsters in crafts. Since 1880, the headquarters of the Congregation settled in the palace Contarini dal Bovolo, whose famous rounded white staircase has become its emblem.

Throughout Italy in 1937, the Charity Congregation was replaced by the “Ente Comunale di Assistenza” (ECA) or Community Assistance Program designed and intended mostly to home care for poor families. In Venice, to give greater autonomy to institutions the ECA was decentralized and renamed “Istituzioni di Ricovero e di Educazione” (IRE) or Institutions of Shelter and Education as it is called today.

Since then, large orphanages were closed and children were instead placed in family-type group communities. Most of the service to the citizens of Venice was thereafter focused on housing the elderly. The old buildings of the Ospedaletto dating from the twentieth century onwards were adapted to house the elderly, while leaving intact the architectural components left behind by great artists such as Palladio, Longhena, and Sardi.

IRE TODAY

The IRE has since extended its housing offerings for the elderly to include the San Lorenzo Residence, created new homes for the elderly in Mestre (Residence Contarini to Gazzera) and the Giudecca (Residence Zitelle). It has also initiated the restoration of the former residence of the Penitents of St Job.

Today, the IRE provides services including the development of social, and cultural activities necessary for the health and welfare of Venetians in need. Through yearly programs, the IRE coordinates its activities with other public and private institutions that provide similar assistance. It is specifically charged with allocating the division of pension assets to the various organizations involved in providing aid.

IRE PATRIMONY

The IRE, in addition to a social function, has considerable cultural importance having inherited an artistic and architectural heritage from former ancient charities including the work of prominent artists and architects such Longhena for the Church of Beggars and dell'Ospedaletto, Palladio for the Church of the Zitelle and that of Derelitti, Palma the Younger for the Oratory of the Crociferi, Jacopo Guarana for frescoes in the Sala della Musica all'Ospedaletto, Tiepolo for the Church of Mercy and the Ospedaletto.

From the oldest charitable institutions that make up its foundation, the IRE has inherited a rich heritage of artistic goods that form the Collections IRE. This rich collection consists of paintings, sculptures, applied arts objects including silverware, fabrics, lace, home decor and furnishings worship, wellheads, and engravings of enormous historical value.

This collection makes up the IRE Museum, fruit of the generosity of the benefactors of the past which was expressed in the artistic furnishings of the churches - Derelitti, Zitelle, Penitents - visible sign of wealth and favors enjoyed by countless visitors and Venetian residents, as well as the legacies of private fortunes that sometimes include real art collections. Notably, the collection also contains precious textile articles created by women in need that once passed through their doors. However, the artistic heritage of the different institutions consists mainly of a religious inspired works.

Chapels and churches containing portraits or pictures of patron saints, demonstrating the generosity of past donors to charity and are used to solicit new generosity through requests for donations.

Hospitals and charitable institutions have over the course of three centuries acquired works by the most famous artists, architects, painters, and sculptors. Including Palladio, Sansovino, Longhena, Massari. The IRE has within its collection major works of the young Tiepolo who painted the canvases for the Oratory of the Crociferi, producing a body of work that critics believed the best of its wide productions well as figures of apostles and prophets in Ospedaletto Church. There are also magnificent sculptures like the two Madonnas by Sansovino (a rare papier-mâché in the round for the Muneghette chapel and the other in precious Carrara marble high relief, the famed "Madonna the Kiss ") or the altar of Sardi - Longhena in dell'Ospedaletto church.

The IRE through this office retains and protects the heritage of such rich art and architecture through restoration and maintenance operations, cataloging, publications of historical and artistic studies in the series editorial "Charity and Assistance", making them usable by the public with the opening of the monumental tourist areas, and by organizing concerts in its churches or the presentation of exhibitions for the arts. Some of these initiatives are in collaboration with other cultural institutions. Because each asset represents great historical legacy of the past for Venice, the social and cultural function of the IRE administered institutions guarantees they will remain for future generations.

Using its considerable assets, the IRE raises money through ticket sales to visitors to fund some of its activities and services to those needing assistance. At least 30% of its assets are dedicated to the assistance of children and young adults. Its mission is to use historic real estate holdings of Venice in the administration of its services. It currently operates four main residential facilities offering over housing for the elderly with low mobility and Alzheimer’s.

RESIDENTAL HOUSING UNITS

In addition to the following units, which it maintains mostly as rest homes, the IRE frequently offers low cost housing for rent and individual apartments for sale. There are approximately 500 units in total in the IRE portfolio.

Vitale Michiel An ancient hospital was attached to the Augustinian monastery of the island of St. Helena since 1175, when founded by the bishop of Castle Vitale Michiel. In 1407, after the lapse of the first convent, all it passed to the Olivetan monks. The IRE in 1978, in memory of the ancient hospice, dedicated the property to Vitale Michiel. It consists of 4 double apartments and 3 single apartments, all ground floor houses intended for older residents.

Marc’Antonio Morosini It arose as a bequest of Captain Marco Antonio Morosini (1508) in favor of the poor sailors. It had consistently been used to house sailors’ until the current pensions were adapted to provide seafarers a dignified old age. Today, it is among the hospices IRE maintains best adapted for the use by elderly couples. It consists of 7 double and 4 individual apartments located between the ground floor and first floor. These apartments share a common courtyard.

Bernardo Dona’ In 1714, Dona Bernardo made a will leaving a house in San Lio with his income in order to found a future hospital for beggars. After long disputes by heirs, annuities were combined with those of the House of Refuge and the Orphanages. In 1978, the IRE restored it with specially designed facilities as a home for the elderly, primarily for women. It consists of 10 individual studios and one double, equipped with kitchenette. It offers large common areas and laundry.

Badoer This property was built by the Partecipazio family, later called Badoer, in the 8th Century for the care of widows. It consists of 14 rooms equipped with a kitchenette and shared bathroom facilities are shared. It is primarily all male.

Bocco Scrovegni Maddalena Scrovegni of Padua founded this property in 1421. Its original use was to house for 13 poor widows. It has continuously been maintained by the Procurators of St. Mark de Citra. Today, it houses couples and individuals of both sexes in two double apartments on the second floor, 4 single on the first floor and a ground floor single apartment. It offers a lounge, communal laundry and large garden.

Ludovico Priuli Inherited from the estate in Ludovico Priuli in 1569, its original use was to house 12 men and a chaplain under the direction of relatives of the Priuli family, who were to ensure that the men who were housed were unmarried and of longstanding Venetian heritage. Today, it consists of 9 single rooms with kitchenettes, spread over three floors, each with common toilets. It is exclusively male housing.

Pietro Brustolado This building was originally a hospital founded by Peter Brustolado and inherited at his will in 1316. It is the second oldest hospice still active after the one named for Renier Zen. Today it houses couples and individuals of both sexes in five studios, two doubles and three singles on the ground floor to the first floor, with private facilities and shared garden.

Marco Polo This hospice is in line with the tradition of the oldest hospitals of the Venetian islands, especially Murano of which there were once 18. During the nineteenth century, it was managed by the city shelter, Casa di Ricovero, along with other city hospices. The IRE Board of Directors decided in the 1980s to purchase and renovate this house with a garden on the island of Mazzorbo at Burano. It was named after Monsignor Marco Polo, who was the parish priest of Burano. It consists of a house divided into two floors: on the ground floor there is an apartment for couples and four rooms with common toilets on the first floor. It has laundry room and large common garden.

Opera Pia Maddalena Used for couples or individuals of both sexes, this building was opened after major restoration efforts in 2009. It consists of 3 double and 6 individual apartments divided over three floors (first, second and third). On the ground floor there are spaces for common activities.

Mission

Currently, the activities carried out by the IRE consist of providing services to the elderly, disabled, children, young adults, and families in need without discrimination for the purpose of preventing issues related to social challenges. In particular, the IRE provides shelter and community housing, day care and rehabilitation centers, home care and above all job training to enable individuals to enter the work force.

The IRE is funded by private donations, its current real estate holdings and other assets under its control, which include many buildings and art of historic architectural value.

Bibliography

Www.irevenezia.it. (n.d.). Retrieved December 09, 2016, from http://www.irevenezia.it/