Located in the Cannaregio district of Venice along the Fondamente Nove, at the corner with the Rio dei Gesuiti, Palazzo Donà dalle Rose is a distinguished example of late Renaissance Venetian architecture. Begun in 1610 by Doge Leonardo Donà (1545–1612), one of Venice’s most revered leaders, and completed shortly after his death, the palace remains one of the few Venetian palazzi still owned by descendants of its founding family, the Donà dalle Rose. Its austere yet elegant design, cultural significance as the seat of the Fondazione Donà dalle Rose, and its role as a venue for contemporary art exhibitions during the Venice Biennale make it a unique landmark. The palace’s massive T-shaped plan, Baroque interior decorations, and neglected garden add to its complex character, set against the backdrop of Venice’s northern lagoon.
The Palazzo Donà dalle Rose was commissioned by Doge Leonardo Donà, a
towering figure in Venetian history known for his diplomatic prowess and
resistance to papal authority during the 1605–1607 Interdict crisis with
Pope Paul V. On October 14, 1609, Leonardo Donà purchased a plot of land
at Fondamente Nove from Giacomo Nani, his brother Nicolò’s son-in-law,
to build a family palace. This choice sparked disputes with Nicolò, who
considered the Fondamente Nove too peripheral compared to the
prestigious Grand Canal. Despite familial tensions, the first stone was
laid on March 24, 1610, symbolically coinciding with the eve of Venice’s
legendary founding date. The construction, overseen by Francesco de
Piero, a proto of the Procuratorship of San Marco, was completed by
October 15, 1611, with financial management passing to Leonardo’s
nephew, Leonardo (1583–1632), after the Doge’s death on July 16, 1612.
The Donà family, one of Venice’s ancient noble houses, traced their
origins to Byzantine Altino and were included in the Libro d’Oro after
the 1297 Serrata del Maggior Consiglio. The Donà dalle Rose branch,
distinguished by a coat of arms featuring roses, produced three
doges—Francesco (1545–1553), Leonardo (1606–1612), and Nicolò (1618)—and
held significant roles in diplomacy, the church, and the military.
Leonardo Donà’s legacy, documented in the palace’s well-preserved family
archive, includes his diplomatic missions, notably to Emperor Rudolf II
in 1577, and his defiance of papal authority, which preserved Venice’s
sovereignty. The palace’s archive, one of the best-preserved in Venice,
contains codices and documents chronicling the family’s history, a
testament to their enduring influence.
The palace’s construction
was attributed by historian Marco Foscarini to Fra Paolo Sarpi, a
Venetian polymath and close friend of Leonardo Donà, though archival
evidence cited by Emmanuele Cicogna disputes this claim. Sarpi’s alleged
involvement adds intrigue, given his reputation as a political
strategist and scholar. The palace’s austere design, criticized at the
time as lacking palatial grandeur (“Niente architettura per la casa del
doge”), reflects Leonardo Donà’s pragmatic character and the
transitional urban context of the Fondamente Nove, a newly developed
area in the early 17th century.
Today, the palace is owned by
Count Francesco Donà dalle Rose and his wife, Chiara Modica Donà dalle
Rose, who established the Fondazione Donà dalle Rose to promote cultural
initiatives. The palace serves as a venue for art exhibitions, notably
hosting national pavilions during the Venice Biennale, including Iran
(2017), San Marino (2022), and Cameroon (2024), as well as concerts and
contemporary art displays.
Palazzo Donà dalle Rose is a late Renaissance palazzo with a sober,
functional design that contrasts with the ornate Gothic and Baroque
palazzi of the Grand Canal. Its massive T-shaped plan, with a depth
exceeding 30 meters, is unusual for Venetian palazzi, reflecting the
ample space available at Fondamente Nove. The palace’s architecture
prioritizes simplicity, with minimal decorative orders, and is built to
harmonize with its northern lagoon setting.
Facade
The palace
features two principal facades: one facing the Fondamente Nove and the
other overlooking the Rio dei Gesuiti, with a third side bordering a
garden and the northern lagoon toward Murano. The Fondamente Nove facade
is the primary elevation, characterized by:
Basement and Ground
Floor: The base is clad in smooth Istrian stone bugnato (ashlar
masonry), providing durability against the lagoon’s humidity. The main
entrance is a pointed-arch portal, a nod to Venetian Gothic, though
executed in a restrained Renaissance style with Tuscan capitals, the
only classical order used. The portal’s austerity reflects the palace’s
utilitarian ethos.
Piano Nobile: The noble floor features eight
single-lancet windows (monofore) with round arches, evenly spaced and
framed in Istrian stone. A continuous, molded balcony with a balustrade
runs beneath the windows, adding a subtle decorative element. The
windows’ regular rhythm and lack of ornate tracery distinguish the
facade from Gothic predecessors, aligning with late Renaissance
sobriety.
Upper Floors: The second floor and attic have simpler,
architraved windows, maintaining the facade’s axial symmetry. The
cornice is minimal, avoiding the elaborate friezes of contemporary
palazzi like Scamozzi’s Palazzo Contarini a San Trovaso.
The Rio dei
Gesuiti facade includes a pointed-arch water gate and an internal cavana
(boat shelter), facilitating direct canal access. This facade is less
ornate but functionally significant, with a darsena (dock) for boat
mooring. The eastern side, adjacent to a garden, is enclosed by a high
wall, ensuring privacy. The northern elevation, facing the lagoon,
offers views of Murano and the Alps on clear days, a unique feature due
to the palace’s peripheral location.
Interior
The interior of
Palazzo Donà dalle Rose is organized around a traditional Venetian
palazzo plan, with a spacious ground-floor androne (entrance hall)
leading to a monumental staircase. Key features include:
Ground
Floor: The androne, measuring 370 square meters, is a grand vestibule
flanked by secondary staircases to a mezzanine. It serves as an
exhibition space during Biennale events, with water access via the Rio
dei Gesuiti. The ground floor also includes smaller rooms used for
cultural activities.
Piano Nobile: The noble floor features a large
portego (central hall), adorned with Baroque decorations, including
frescoes and stucco work, added in the 18th century. The portego,
described as “opulent” and “affrescato,” hosts art exhibitions and
concerts, showcasing works by artists like Banksy, Rosa Mundi, and
Umberto Boccioni. The piano nobile’s furnishings, ancient paintings, and
objets d’art reflect the family’s cultural patronage.
Upper Floors:
The second floor and attic were historically used for service quarters
and storage. Today, they may contain private apartments or additional
exhibition spaces, though public access is limited to the piano nobile
and ground floor during events.
The palace’s interior is
well-preserved, with the family archive housing rare codices and
diplomatic records, a testament to the Donà’s historical prominence. The
Baroque decorations in the piano nobile, including frescoes and stucco,
contrast with the exterior’s austerity, creating a rich indoor ambiance.
Garden
The palace’s private garden, measuring 364 square meters,
is a rare feature in Venice, where space is scarce. Bordered by a high
wall, it offers a secluded retreat and serves as an exhibition space
during Biennale events. However, sources note that the garden is “much
neglected,” suggesting it may lack the manicured splendor of other
Venetian courtyards. The garden’s eastern wall abuts the palace’s
T-shaped plan, and two of the palace’s four land entrances open onto it,
enhancing its accessibility for events.
Construction and
Materials
The palace was built using standard Venetian techniques,
with wooden piles driven into the lagoon’s subsoil to support a brick
and Istrian stone structure. The facade’s smooth bugnato and minimal use
of decorative stone reflect cost-conscious design choices, possibly
influenced by Leonardo Donà’s pragmatic approach. The pointed-arch
portals and Tuscan capitals are crafted in Istrian stone, ensuring
durability, while the plaster walls, likely painted in a pale hue,
require periodic maintenance to combat humidity. The T-shaped plan
maximizes interior space, with the androne and portego designed to
impress visitors while facilitating boat access.
Palazzo Donà dalle Rose’s significance lies in its architectural
uniqueness, historical associations, and contemporary cultural role. Its
late Renaissance design, criticized as “not palatial” in its time,
stands out for its sobriety and isolation from the ornate palazzi of the
Grand Canal. The Fondamente Nove location, a newly developed area in
1610, reflects Venice’s urban expansion and Leonardo Donà’s vision for
his family’s legacy.
The Donà family’s contributions to Venetian
governance, diplomacy, and culture are embodied in the palace’s archive,
which preserves documents from Leonardo Donà’s missions and the family’s
noble lineage. The palace’s ownership by the Donà dalle Rose family,
notably Count Francesco and Chiara Modica Donà dalle Rose, underscores
its rarity as a privately held historic residence. Chiara, a jurist and
arts patron, has championed the Fondazione Donà dalle Rose, which
promotes Italian culture through exhibitions, concerts, and residencies
for artists like Marzia Ratti and Gianluca Balocco Moor.
The
palace’s role as a Biennale venue has elevated its profile, hosting
pavilions for Iran (2017), San Marino (2022), and Cameroon (2024), as
well as exhibitions like Banksy e Rosa Mundi: il Bestiario nel Roseto
(2023) and Futurismi Contemporanei (2023), featuring Boccioni’s
sculptures and contemporary works. These events, held in the piano
nobile’s “opulent Galleria” and garden, bridge Venice’s historical
legacy with modern art, attracting global audiences.
The palace’s
literary and philosophical resonance is noted in sources describing its
“cinematographic” and “Viscontian” ambiance, evoking Nietzsche’s concept
of art as a transcendent force. Chiara Donà dalle Rose’s advocacy for
marginalized communities, such as the Lakota and Syrian refugees,
further enriches the palace’s cultural mission, aligning with Venice’s
historical role as a welcoming hub for diverse peoples.
Palazzo Donà dalle Rose is a private residence and not regularly open
to the public, but its piano nobile and ground floor are accessible
during cultural events, particularly the Venice Biennale and Art Night
Venezia. For example, in 2023, the palace’s Galleria was open free of
charge from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM during Art Night Venezia, showcasing
works by Banksy and Rosa Mundi. Concerts, such as a 2023 performance by
pianist Alberto Bof to fund an organ restoration in Murano, are also
held in the piano nobile, with limited seating (maximum 100 people).
Visitors should check the Fondazione Donà dalle Rose website
(fondazionedonadallerose.org) or contact Chiara Modica Donà dalle Rose
(+39 380 154 1468) for event schedules and access details.
The
palace’s exterior is best viewed from the Fondamente Nove, a bustling
waterfront with vaporetto stops (Lines 4.1, 5.2, Alilaguna Blue and
Yellow) at Fondamente Nove, just steps from the entrance at Cannaregio
5038/5101. The Rio dei Gesuiti facade and water gate are visible by
boat, offering a scenic perspective. The palace is approximately 1.2
kilometers from Santa Lucia railway station, a 15-minute walk or short
vaporetto ride, and is near the Ponte Donà and I Gesuiti church. The
northern lagoon views, including Murano, enhance the experience,
especially on clear days.
Nearby attractions include:
I
Gesuiti Church (100 meters east): A Baroque masterpiece with a lavish
interior.
Ca’ d’Oro (530 meters southwest): A Gothic palazzo with the
Giorgio Franchetti Gallery.
Jewish Ghetto (700 meters west): The
historic heart of Venice’s Jewish community.
Rialto Bridge (650
meters southwest): Venice’s iconic bridge and market area.
Fondamente
Nove (immediate vicinity): A waterfront with vaporettos to Murano and
Burano.
Cannaregio’s cafes, such as Osteria Al Timon, offer spots to
enjoy cicheti and a spritz while taking in the palace’s understated
elegance.
Palazzo Donà dalle Rose is less prominent in tourist literature than
Grand Canal palazzi but is highly regarded by art and architecture
enthusiasts for its historical continuity and cultural vitality. Sources
like Artribune and Venezia News praise its role as a Biennale venue and
the Fondazione’s innovative exhibitions, while Conoscere Venezia
highlights its archival treasures. The palace’s austere design, once
criticized, is now appreciated for its late Renaissance restraint,
contrasting with the flamboyance of contemporaries like Palazzo
Contarini.
Tripadvisor and other review platforms rarely mention
the palace due to its private status, but its Biennale events receive
positive feedback for their unique setting and curated displays. The
neglected garden, noted in some sources, is a minor critique amid praise
for the palace’s preservation and cultural engagement. In the context of
Venice’s challenges—acqua alta, overtourism, and preservation costs—the
palace’s active use by the Donà dalle Rose family and their foundation
ensures its relevance, balancing heritage with contemporary purpose.