Cà d'Oro Palace, Venice, Italy - SpottingHistory.com

Palazzo Santa Sofia is known as Ca' d'Oro ('golden house') due to the gilt and polychrome external decorations which once adorned its walls.

The palace was built between 1428 and 1430 for the Contarini family, who provided Venice with eight Doges between 1043 and 1676. The architects of the Ca d'Oro were Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo Bon.

Following the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, the palace changed ownership several times. One 19th century owner, the ballet dancer Marie Taglioni, removed the Gothic stairway from the inner courtyard and destroyed the ornate balconies overlooking the court.

In 1894, the palace was acquired by its last owner, baron Giorgio Franchetti; throughout his lifetime, he amassed an important art collection and personally oversaw its extensive restoration, including the reconstruction of the stairway and the Cosmatesque courtyard with ancient marbles. In 1916, Franchetti bequeathed the Ca' d'Oro to the Italian State. It is now open to the public as a gallery: Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca' d'Oro.

The principal façade of Ca' d'Oro facing onto the Grand Canal is built in the Bon's Venetian floral Gothic style. Other nearby buildings in this style are Palazzo Barbaro and the Palazzo Giustinian. This linear style favoured by the Venetian architects was not totally superseded by the Baroque one until the end of the 16th century.

On the ground floor, a recessed colonnaded loggia gives access to the entrance hall directly from the canal. Above this colonnade is the enclosed balcony of the principal salon on the piano nobile. The columns and arches of this balcony have capitals which in turn support a row of quatrefoil windows; above this balcony is another enclosed balcony or loggia of a similar yet lighter design.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Thomas A (6 months ago)
Interesting historic and cultural location.

Deni Web (6 months ago)
There is a discount for the entrance fee for students. The palace was very nice and not crowded at all during Corona times.

Marcin Baić (14 months ago)
Nothing special and too pricy. I expected great interiors but nothing of a kind.. not bad gallery but too expensive for content. There's much to see in Venice and this building is good enough from other bank of river

Robin Horak (2 years ago)
Interesting small museum with a mix of sculptures and paintings from the late middle ages and early renaissance with amazing modern pieces in a stunning Venetian mansion. Well worth an hour wander through.

Anita Mitchell (2 years ago)
In CA d'Oro palace. Particularly enjoyed the room filled with little mirrors that followed your every move. So much fun!

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