Visit Ca' d'Oro in Venice is the most famous palace in Grand Canal.
It's a fabulous Gothic palace that once glittered with gold.
Today, it houses a small art museum.
In between visits, the Ca' d'Oro offers a good overview of the city's art and architecture.
What's more, it won't take you long to visit.
Today, I'm going to tell you all about the place.
Ca' d'Oro in Venice: article summary
What is the history of the Ca' d'Oro in Venice?
Ca', short for "casa" (house), is the name of all the large buildings in Venice. The title "palazzo" belonged only to the Ducal Palace. Ca' d'Oro means "House of Gold", and the building once boasted an ornate, gilded façade. Even now, though time has taken its toll, the house still offers breathtaking views.
The Ca' d'Oro was built between 1420 and 1434 for a wealthy Venetian, Marino Contarini. The building was in part a memorial to his first wife.
Two teams of stonemasons worked on the construction. One led by Matteo Raverti from Milan, the other by local Venetian Giovanni Bon. The building, clad in a variety of white and colored marbles, offers one of the city's most elaborate facades.
A period architectural feat
As Contarini must have intended, the building would have astounded his fellow Venetians, not least because of the extravagance of its colorful decoration: gilding on the window tracery and carvings, ultramarine paint and red Verona marble.
Like the other older palaces along the canal, the Ca' d'Oro is now significantly lower in the water, the waterline having risen considerably over the centuries. At high tide, water splashes between the inlet columns.
In the XIXᵉ century, the then owner offered the building to ballerina Marie Taglioni, who set about gutting the building. Ruskin was in Venice at the time, and wept as the palace in front of him gradually lost its splendor. The building was later purchased by the art collector Baron Giorgio Franchetti. He restored it as much as possible and then left the building to the Italian state.
Discover the incredible little Franchetti gallery
The Galleria Franchetti, based around the Baron's art collection, offers an interesting range of exhibitions. The greatest masterpiece on display is Andrea Mantegna's San Sebastiano. Other highlights of the collection include paintings by Vittore Carpaccio, including an Annunciation, and a sculpted Double Portrait by Tullio Lombardo.
If you've visited Rome, you'll be interested to see Bernini's clay models for his statues around the fountains in Piazza Navona. Some of the faded fragments of frescoes on display are by Titian and Giorgione, and come from outside the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, near the Piazza Navona. Rialto.
Visit the exterior of Ca ' d'Oro in Venice
During your visit, don't miss the courtyard, accessible from the first floor entrance hall. It's an absolutely exquisite space, with Moorish influences, a mosaic floor, aged columns and the original wellhead.
Some additional visit information
Ca' d'Oro is located in the Cannaregio district. Its terrestrial entrance is a discreet door in the alley between the vaporetto Ca' d'Oro (line 1) and the busy Strada Nova.
The gallery is open to From 8.15 a.m.This makes it a good destination for the early-morning tourist. It closes at 2 p.m. on Mondays, but remains open on other days. until 7:15 pm.
Admission costs €5with half-price admission for EU citizens aged 18 to 25. Admission is free for under-18s and over-65s.
The Ca' d'Oro is a must-see on any trip to Venice. It boasts a strong history and is part of the Venetian landscape for many years. A good reason to visit this place and see the beauty of his work!
Leave a Reply