The Ca’ d’Oro.
The Ca’ d’Oro. A Gothic masterpiece and the most celebrated palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice, housing the “Galleria Giorgio Franchetti”.
Also known as Palazzo Santa Sofia, this edifice is among the city’s oldest, dubbed the “golden house” for the gilt and polychrome adornments that once embellished its exterior. It is now renowned for the intricacy of its architectural features, and decorative elements
Dedicate a few hours of your visit to Venice to explore its rich history and art collections, as well as the internal courtyard with its magnificent staircase, well-head, and flooring.
The latest visitor information is available on its official website, together with two youtube videos; available in the links section below.
Brief History
Architectural Features
Who was Baron Giorgio Franchetti?
The Ca’ d’Oro. – Museum
Getting There
A Celebratory Poem
Links (internal-external)
Above: Last light over Ca d’Oro on the Grand Canal, Venice
The Ca’ d’Oro. – Brief History
Constructed between 1421 and 1440, the palace was commissioned by the Venetian merchant Marino Contarini ; whose family between 1043 and 1676, had provided Venice with eight Doges.
At the beginning of the fifteenth century Marino married the young heiress Soramador Zeno, who brought some properties located in the area of Santa Sofia, including the Ca’ Zeno that overlooked the Grand Canal. The couple lived in this house, but unfortunately when his wife died; Contarini was forced to re-purchase the property due to a significant family dispute.
He decided to rebuild the palazzo and its facade, to a much grander level. He meticulously oversaw the work of various architects and sculptors, including Venetians Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon, who were responsible for the palace’s decorations, Milanese sculptor Matteo Raverti, and the project’s probable designer, Marco d’Amedeo. It is thought that the painter Giovanni Charlier, was employed by the Contarini’s, to colour the many elements of the facade; giving it its special and unique appearance, that was reflected into the waters below.
Upon his death in 1441, Marino Contarini bequeathed his vast wealth to his sole son, Piero, who inherited the palace. Piero, in turn, left the palace to his daughters after his death. Subsequent misunderstandings resulted in the loss of the palace, which then came into the possession of the Contarini family, followed by the Marcelli and later the Loredan families.
After the Venetian Republic fell in 1797, the palace frequently changed hands. In 1846, a Russian prince, Alessandro Trubetzkoi acquired the dilapidated palace as a present for the ballet dancer Marie Taglioni. The architect’s haphazard renovations led to his arrest for vandalism, resulting in the loss of many Gothic elements, such as the stairway in the inner courtyard and its overlooking balconies.
Here’s what Ruskin thought about Trubetzkoi’s renovations:
Returning to Venice in 1845, was horrified to find much restoration underway on many churches an palaces, which to him were the glories of the city. He wrote to his father on 23rd September. “What an unhappy day I spent yesterday“…..”before the Casa d’Oro, vainly attempting to draw it while the workmen were hammering it down before my face“.
In the “Venetian Index”, to the Stones of Venice (1853), Ruskin describes it as “a noble pile of very quaint Gothic, once superb in general effect, but now destroyed by renovations. I saw the beautiful slabs of red marble, which formed the bases of its balconies and were carved into noble spiral of strange sections, half a foot deep, dashed to pieces.When I was last in Venice (1851-2), its glorious interior staircase; by far the most interesting Gothic monument of the kind in Venice, had been carried away, piece by piece, and sold for waste two years before. Of what remains, the most beautiful portions are, or were, when I last saw them, the capitals of the windows in the upper story, most glorious sculpture of the fourteenth century“
The internal courtyard with istrian stone steps to the first floor and well-head
Photo. Author: Sailko. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
The conversion of Ca’ d’Oro into a cultural gem for posterity. The palace’s final owner, Baron Giorgio Franchetti, bought it in 1894. He collected significant artworks and directed a thorough restoration, which included rebuilding the stairway and the Cosmatesque courtyard using ancient marbles. In 1916, Franchetti left the Ca’ d’Oro to the Italian State. Today, it houses the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro, first opened open for public viewing in 1927.
Left. The only new work that Franchetti brought was the imposing marble flooring of the portego on the ground floor, which he himself designed: a surface of 350 square metres; built with the ancient Roman techniques of marquetry and marble workmanship. Author: Sailko. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Architectural features.
The Venetian Gothic style is characterized by the stunning palaces constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries. This architectural style, unique to Venice, merges the Gothic lancet arch with Byzantine and Arab influences.
It was common to decorate the spaces between or above these arches with round lacy cut-outs or tracery in stone called “quatrefoils. The design of the traceries was often based on those found on the upper floor gallery of the Doge’s Palace; a style known as “gotico fiorito” or in English, “flowery gothic”.
The architectural plan of the loggia or central hall evolved from a “T” shape to an “L” configuration. During the 15th century Venetian Gothic period, the portego transformed into an elongated corridor with a quadrangular cross-section, often featuring a loggia with four arches. By the late 15th century, the significance of the side rooms increased.
The Ca’ d’Oro frontage. It clearly shows the retained “asymmetric” design, which suggest difficulties with reconstruction, that the Contarini family may have encountered. Left. Ground floor plan view – Grand Canal to the left.
The left side of the palazzo preserves the structural-functional relationship of its Byzantine origins, known as “casa fondaco.” The palazzo served as a combined living and working space, where personal and commercial vessels could dock and unload.
The water-frontage demonstrates intricate tracery, pinnacles and the use of marble, influenced by the design of the upper gallery of the (Doge’s Palace. It was originally brilliantly decorated with the most expensive pigments available – vermilion, ultramarine and gold leaf, that is termed polychromy.
It suffered much decline and abuse until the late 19th C, when Baron Franchetti bought the palace and restored it to its oroginal splendour and to house his art collections.
Who was Baron Giorgio Franchetti?
Baron Giorgio Franchetti (1865-1927) was a mecenate (patron of the arts) and art collector from Turin, Italy. Born into a prominent family, he initially trained in a military school, but later pursued his passion for music and art. In 1894, he purchased the dilapidated Ca’ d’Oro in Venice and dedicated himself to its extensive restoration, aiming to return it to its 15th-century splendour.
When he arrived in Venice he bought back the original well from the Ca’ d’Oro, from an antique dealer. The only new work that Franchetti brought was the imposing marble flooring of the portego on the ground floor, which he himself designed: a surface of 350 square metres; built with the ancient Roman techniques of marquetry and marble workmanship (photo below. Author: Sailko – section of original image. This file is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license).
Franchetti amassed a remarkable collection of art, encompassing furniture, paintings, medals, tapestries, bronzes, and sculptures. In 1916, he generously bequeathed this collection and the refurbished palace to the Italian State. The Galleria Giorgio Franchetti opened its doors to the public in 1927, shortly before the first anniversary of his death.
The conversion of Ca’ d’Oro into a cultural gem for posterity, is indeed an inspiration.
The Ca’ d’Oro. – Museum
Photo left. Author: Sailko. This file is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 4.0.
The gallery is home to the art collection amassed by Giorgio Franchetti during his lifetime. After he donated it to the Italian State in 1916, and as the museum was being prepared, the Franchetti collection was enhanced with various state collections. These additional collections are the source of many of the bronzes, sculptures, and numerous Venetian and Flemish paintings currently on display.
Here are a few highlights, that represent a mix of Italian and Flemish art; showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the region.
- “Venere allo Specchio” by Titian
- “Venere dormiente” by Paris Bordon
- Two landscape paintings by Francesco Guardi2″Crocifissione” attributed to Jan Van Eyck
- “Ritratto di Marcello Durazzo” by Van Dyck
- “Justice” by Titian
- “Life of the Virgin” by Carpaccio
- “Saint Sebastian” by Mantegna
The Ca’ d’Oro. – Getting There
Calle Ca ‘d’Oro, Cannaregio 3932, Venice
Next to the palace, is a vaporetto station with the same name, Ca’ d’Oro, where the vaporetto ACTV Line 1 stops.
Alternatively, if you head east from Piazzale Roma, you can reach the palace by taking Strada Nova, Venice’s main thoroughfare. The palace will be on your right, just past San Felice – be sure to look for the Ca d’Oro vaporetto signs. If you’re coming from the opposite direction, starting at the Rialto bridge on the San Marco side, walk north and cross the Ponte Santi Apostoli to join Strada Nova. The palace will be approximately 200 meters on your left, marked by the Ca d’Oro vaporetto signage.
Note: To capture the best photograph of the building’s facade, start from the north side of the Rialto Bridge in San Polo, pass through the Vegetable and Fish Market areas, and proceed to the Riva dell’Olio, alongside the Grand Canal. This route will place you directly opposite the palazzo.
A Celebratory Poem
On the Grand Canal, a treasure shines,
A gothic dream through ages’ lines.
With marble lace and golden glow,
Ca’ d’Oro stands in timeless flow.
Baron Franchetti’s touch revered,
Restored its soul, a vision cleared.
A palace where the past is told,
On gilded walls and hues of old.
Within the courtyard, secrets dwell,
A storied well, where wishes swell.
The floor, a tapestry so grand,
Intricate patterns by artisan hand.
Beneath Venetian skies so grand,
It whispers tales of sea and land.
Where art and history intertwine,
Each arch and window, so divine.
Links (internal–external)
Venice Museum Guide – Introduction
Website: Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro | Venezia (cadoro.org)
Home-The Museum-Information-Opening time-Tickets-Accessibility for disabled people-How to reach-News-Booking-Services-Exhibitions and events-Photo-Press
Venezia, Ca D’Oro (Palazzo Santa Sofia) 4K (youtube.com)
Travels with a Curator: Ca’ d’Oro, Venice (youtube.com)
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