La Rosa della Virtù

La Rosa della Virtu (The Rose of Virtue) was a brothel run by Sister Teodora, a former nun. Located in Venice, it was rather popular and frequented by many upper-class patrons, though the thief Antonio di Magianis was a frequent visitor as well. The brothel was constantly under attack from the Holy See, which tried repeatedly to force the Venetian Council to shut it down. The brothel was finally closed for good in 1516 after a fire burned it to the ground.

Database Entry
"Located at the crossroads where sex and religion collide, La Rosa della Virtu (The Rose of Virtue) was run entirely by former nuns. The Pope repeatedly attempted to force the Venetian Council to shut down the brothel, but it remained open until a fire in 1516 consumed it.

''Although the Church tried to claim divine intervention, jurists found the fire to have been set by a disgruntled bishop who wanted to lie with one of the girls for free. Act of God indeed."''