Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda, also known as Ca’ Corner della Ca’ Granda, Palazzo Corner, or Palazzo Cornaro, is a monumental Renaissance-style palace located in the San Marco sestiere of Venice, Italy, along the Grand Canal between the Casina delle Rose and the Rio di San Maurizio, directly opposite the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni (Peggy Guggenheim Collection). Designed by the renowned architect Jacopo Sansovino after a devastating fire in 1532 destroyed the previous residence, it is one of the earliest examples of Renaissance architecture in Venice, marking a significant departure from the city’s Gothic and Byzantine traditions. As the current seat of the Metropolitan City of Venice and the city’s prefecture, the palace combines historical grandeur with civic function.
The history of Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda is tied to the
influential Corner (or Cornaro) family, one of Venice’s wealthiest and
most politically significant patrician clans. Their wealth originated in
the 14th century through trade, particularly sugar plantations in
Cyprus, managed with proto-industrial efficiency by Federico Corner in
the fiefdom of Piscopia. The family’s prominence was further elevated by
Caterina Cornaro, who inherited the throne of Cyprus in 1472 and
relinquished it to Venice in 1489, receiving a substantial settlement
that enriched the family.
The site originally housed Palazzo
Malombra, a “beautiful house” purchased by Giorgio Corner, Caterina’s
brother, from the Malombra family in 1499, as documented in Jacopo de’
Barbari’s 1500 city plan. This earlier palace, described by chronicler
Marin Sanudo as one of Venice’s finest, was destroyed in a catastrophic
fire on August 15–16, 1532, which consumed 400 staja of wheat, large
quantities of sugar, a painting of the Supper at Emmaus, a valuable
Roman bust, and artifacts belonging to Caterina Cornaro. Following
Giorgio’s death in 1527, his son Giovanni Corner, at the height of the
family’s economic and political power, commissioned Jacopo Sansovino in
1532 to rebuild the palace, securing 30,000 ducats from the Venetian
Republic to fund the project.
Sansovino, a Florentine architect
who arrived in Venice in 1527 after working in Rome, brought a Roman
Renaissance sensibility to the lagoon, making Palazzo Corner one of his
first Venetian commissions. Construction began in 1533, with foundation
work documented by September 1532, but Sansovino’s death in 1570 left
the project incomplete. Vincenzo Scamozzi, a leading Veneto architect,
completed the palace around 1575, adding the third floor. The palace’s
grandeur earned it the epithet “Ca’ Granda” (Great House), reflecting
its imposing size and the Corner family’s status.
In 1817, after
another fire, Andrea Corner, the last direct descendant, sold the palace
to the Austrian Empire, which established it as the seat of the
Provincial Delegation and later the Imperial Lieutenancy. Following the
Veneto’s annexation to Italy in 1866, it became the headquarters of the
Province of Venice and the prefecture, roles it retains today. The
original furnishings and art collection, including works by Venetian
masters, were dispersed during these transitions, though the palace
remains tastefully furnished for its civic function.
Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda is located at San Marco 2663, 30124
Venezia, on the east bank of the Grand Canal, between the Casina delle
Rose and the Rio di San Maurizio, near Campo San Maurizio and the Santa
Maria del Giglio vaporetto stop. Its prime position in the San Marco
sestiere, close to St. Mark’s Square (10-minute walk), places it in
Venice’s political and cultural heart, opposite the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection and near palaces like Palazzo Minotto-Barbarigo.
The
palace is accessible by vaporetto (Line 1, Santa Maria del Giglio stop,
5 minutes from Piazza San Marco) or on foot from Campo San Maurizio via
Calle del Tagiapietra or del Pozzetto. Its Grand Canal facade is best
viewed from a vaporetto, gondola, or the opposite bank near Palazzo
Venier dei Leoni, particularly at sunset when the Istrian stone gleams.
Water access for deliveries is available via the palace’s pontile, as
noted by La Biennale for exhibition logistics.
As the seat of the
Metropolitan City of Venice and prefecture, the palace is not a public
tourist attraction, limiting access to external views or special events.
The adjacent garden (540 sqm) and interior spaces (169 sqm) are used for
La Biennale exhibitions, particularly during the art and architecture
biennales (May–November, odd years), offering rare interior access.
Guided tours, such as those by Best Venice Guides or La Biennale’s
programs, may include the palace during these events, with bookings via
info@labiennale.org or +39 041 5218711. The palace’s civic function
restricts regular tours, but its facade and garden are highlights for
Grand Canal cruises, such as Viator’s “Grand Canal by Gondola with Live
Commentary” ($41.64 per adult).
Nearby attractions include the
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (0.1 km), Palazzo Grassi (0.5 km), and St.
Mark’s Square, with dining options like Ristorante Quadri or Antinoo’s
Lounge at Hotel Centurion Palace. The palace’s central location makes it
a convenient stop on a San Marco itinerary, though its administrative
use limits its tourist profile compared to public museums like Ca’
Rezzonico.
Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda is a landmark of Venetian Renaissance architecture, designed by Jacopo Sansovino with later additions by Vincenzo Scamozzi. Its monumental facade and innovative plan broke with the traditional Venetian Gothic tripartite scheme, introducing Roman classical elements to the lagoon.
Grand Canal Facade: The facade is a three-story masterpiece in
Istrian stone, divided into two horizontal orders with a third floor
added by Scamozzi. The ground floor features dense rustication, a novel
feature for Venetian domestic palaces, with three large arches forming a
portico leading to the inner courtyard, inspired by Giulio Romano’s
triple-arch entrances at Palazzo del Tè in Mantua. The piani nobili
(second and third floors) are characterized by seven large, round-arched
monofore (single windows) with projecting balustrades, flanked by paired
Ionic (second floor) and Corinthian (third floor) half-columns on
pedestals, set against arches on piers. The facade is crowned by a tall
Corinthian entablature with oval openings framed by scroll moldings,
adding Mannerist flair. The rustication and paired columns create a play
of light and shadow, with “voids prevailing over solids,” as noted by
Visitvenezia.eu, contrasting with the pointed arches of Gothic palaces
like Ca’ d’Oro.
Courtyard: Sansovino organized the palace around a
large central courtyard, a mainland-inspired layout rare in Venice’s
canal-front palaces. The courtyard, accessible via the triple-arch
portico, features a classical design with columns and entablatures,
reflecting Roman architectural ideals. A well-head with putti holding
fruit garlands, typical of Tuscan sculpture, was relocated to Campo
Santi Giovanni e Paolo, but the courtyard retains its grandeur.
Garden: A 540 sqm English-style garden, a rare feature on the Grand
Canal, fronts the palace, enhancing its status as a symbol of wealth.
Visible from the canal, it includes trees and pathways, creating a lush
contrast to the stone facade. The garden’s use for Biennale exhibitions
underscores its cultural role.
Adjacent Structures: The palace
complex includes the adjacent Ex Casa Carmagnani and a 1940s building,
integrated into its civic function. The palace borders Corte delle
Munughe to the north, Fondamenta Corner Zaguri and Rio di San Maurizio
to the east, and Calle del Tagiapietra to the west.
Layout: The palace follows a Roman-inspired plan, with a central
portego (hall) on the piani nobili flanked by salons and smaller rooms,
accessed via a grand staircase from the courtyard. The ground floor,
originally for trade and storage, now houses administrative offices,
while the piani nobili include council chambers and prefecture offices.
Decorative Features: The original furnishings and art collection,
including a Supper at Emmaus and Roman bust, were lost in the 1532 fire
or dispersed after 1817. The current interiors, while functional, are
“tastefully arranged” with modern furnishings consonant with the
palace’s grandeur, as noted by Visitvenezia.eu. The council chamber,
used for Biennale exhibitions, retains Renaissance elements like
coffered ceilings and marble cladding, though specific artworks are
undocumented.
Foundation: The 1532 reconstruction used advanced
Venetian techniques, with volcanic mortar and deep pilings to support
the palace’s massive structure. Sansovino advanced the facade toward the
canal, requiring entirely new foundations, partially reusing materials
from the Malombra palace.
The palace’s architecture, with its
rusticated base, paired columns, and courtyard plan, represents a “small
revolution” in Venetian design, introducing Roman classicism and
breaking with the tripartite Gothic scheme of palaces like Ca’ Loredan.
Restoration efforts have ensured the palace’s survival:
1532–1533: Post-fire reconstruction by Sansovino rebuilt the foundations
and facade, completed by Scamozzi by 1575.
1817: After a second fire,
repairs under Austrian ownership focused on structural recovery for
civic use.
2004: A major restoration, completed by the Metropolitan
City of Venice, included functional upgrades and compliance with modern
regulations, preserving the facade’s rustication and interior elements
like the council chamber.
Ongoing Maintenance: The palace’s civic
role ensures regular upkeep to combat Venice’s flooding and humidity,
funded by municipal resources. The garden’s pristine condition and
Biennale use indicate careful landscaping and conservation.
The
palace’s administrative function has protected it from over-tourism,
unlike Ca’ Rezzonico, but its commercial use for exhibitions requires
balancing preservation with accessibility. The dispersal of its original
art collection remains a significant loss, reflecting the broader impact
of 19th-century transitions on Venetian heritage.
Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda is a cultural and architectural
landmark, embodying the Corner family’s wealth and Venice’s Renaissance
transformation. The family’s sugar trade in Cyprus, led by Federico
Corner, and Caterina Cornaro’s royal legacy made them one of Venice’s
richest clans, with three palaces, numerous estates, and a thermal
complex in Abano. Their political influence, through figures like
Giovanni Corner, ensured their presence in the Republic’s major
institutions.
Sansovino’s design introduced Roman classicism to
Venice, influencing later architects like Vincenzo Scamozzi and Andrea
Palladio. The palace’s monumental facade and courtyard plan, described
as a “triumphalistic silhouette” by canalgrandevenezia.it, disrupted the
Gothic continuity of the Grand Canal, setting a new standard for
Venetian palaces. Its Roman-inspired features, such as the rusticated
base and paired columns, reflect the Corner family’s pro-papal stance,
aligning with the cultural renewal driven by Florence and Rome.
The palace’s role as the seat of the province and prefecture since 1817
connects it to Venice’s modern governance, while its use for Biennale
exhibitions (540 sqm garden, 169 sqm interiors) integrates it into the
city’s contemporary art scene. Its depiction in Canaletto’s The Grand
Canal in Venice with the Palazzo Corner underscores its historical
prominence, and its inclusion in UNESCO’s Venice and its Lagoon World
Heritage Site affirms its global value.
Visiting Palazzo Corner della Ca’ Granda is primarily an exterior
experience due to its administrative function. The Grand Canal facade,
with its rusticated base and arched monofore, is best viewed from a
vaporetto (Line 1, Santa Maria del Giglio stop) or gondola, offering a
striking contrast with neighboring Gothic palaces. Tripadvisor reviews
praise its “monumental” presence, ranking it in the top 10% of Venice
attractions for architecture enthusiasts, though its inaccessibility
limits its appeal compared to public sites like Ca’ d’Oro.
During
the Venice Biennale, the garden and council chamber host exhibitions,
providing rare interior access. Tickets for Biennale events (available
via www.labiennale.org) allow visitors to explore these spaces, with the
garden’s greenery and the chamber’s Renaissance elements as highlights.
Guided tours of San Marco, such as those by Best Venice Guides, may
include external commentary on the palace, focusing on Sansovino’s
innovation and the Corner family’s legacy. The visit is brief (10–15
minutes for external viewing, 1–2 hours for exhibitions), best combined
with nearby attractions like the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Palazzo
Grassi, or St. Mark’s Square.
The San Marco sestiere’s vibrant
atmosphere, with cafés like Antinoo’s Lounge and cultural hubs like
Teatro La Fenice, enhances the experience. The palace’s central location
makes it a convenient stop, though its civic role and limited access may
disappoint those seeking a museum-like experience.