Vendramin Calergi Palace

The Palazzo Loredan Vendramin Calergi, or Ca' Vendramin Calergi, located in the Cannaregio district and overlooking the Grand Canal of Venice, has a fascinating history. Commissioned by the Loredan family, construction began in 1481 and was completed in 1509, possibly designed by the architect Mauro Codussi. After changes of ownership, in 1739 it passed to the Vendramin family and adopted the name Vendramin Calergi.

In 1946, the palace passed to the Municipality of Venice, which designated it as the winter headquarters of the Casino di Venezia. In the early 2000s, the Municipality transferred ownership to the Casino di Venezia. The palace features a distinctive Venetian Renaissance facade, influenced by the Palazzo Rucellai in Florence. With three levels and Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian half-columns, the spacious biforas and a two-story loggia provide a unique visual effect.

Inside, Giorgione painted frescoes, and although lost, his influence is still felt. The palace has a garden and access to the Canal. At the back, there is a small courtyard with a commemorative plaque for the composer Richard Wagner, who died inside the palace in 1883. The interior includes a hallway called portego, a Salone on the first floor with works by Palma il Giovane, and seventeenth-century rooms such as the Camino and dei Cuori d'oro.