The Ca’ Bembo is a historic palace located in the Dorsoduro sestiere of Venice, Italy, at Dorsoduro 1075, 30123, near the Accademia Bridge and the Grand Canal. Originally constructed in the 15th century for the Barbarigo family, a prominent Venetian noble lineage, it was later associated with the Bembo family through historical records, though its primary connection is with the Barbarigos, including Doge Marco Barbarigo (r. 1485–1486) and Doge Agostino Barbarigo (r. 1486–1501). Known for its Venetian Gothic architecture with Renaissance modifications, the palace is currently occupied by the Faculty of Languages and Literatures of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. Its large garden, a rarity in Venice, and its cultural role as a contemporary art venue during the Venice Biennale add to its significance.
Ca’ Bembo was originally built in the 15th century for the Barbarigo
family, specifically the Dorsoduro branch, known as Barbarigo de San
Trovaso, as documented in a 1374 property title deed. The Barbarigos
were a powerful Venetian noble family, producing doges Marco and
Agostino Barbarigo, and were known for their maritime and political
influence. The palace, located on the Rio di San Trovaso, was the main
residence of this branch, with the site divided among Barbarigo heirs in
1464, passing to Girolamo Barbarigo. In the 1550s, Agostino Barbarigo,
Girolamo’s grandson, oversaw a major reconstruction, commissioning
Jacopo Sansovino, a leading Renaissance architect known for the Zecca of
Venice and San Zulian, to redesign the palace in the monumental
Renaissance style of Florentine and Roman inspiration. The imposing
portal is definitively attributed to Sansovino, though doubts exist
about whether the entire façade is his work due to its eclectic mix of
Doric and Corinthian capitals, suggesting contributions from other
architects.
The palace’s association with the Bembo family is
less clear, despite its name. Historical records suggest no direct
ownership by the Bembos, but the name may derive from Pietro Bembo
(1470–1547), a Venetian scholar, poet, and cardinal who influenced the
Italian literary language and the madrigal form, though he was born in
Palazzo Bembo near the Rialto Bridge. The naming confusion likely stems
from later historical misattributions or proximity to other Bembo
properties. By the 17th century, the palace passed to the Marcello
family, with Carlo Ridolfi noting in 1648 that Tintoretto had painted
frescoes of Ovid’s fables on the façade, which were faded by 1929. In
1618, the last male Barbarigo heir, Pietro, died childless, and the
palace transferred to the Sangiantoffetti family, wealthy merchants from
Crema, before further ownership changes.
In the 20th century, Ca’
Bembo became part of Ca’ Foscari University, serving as the Faculty of
Languages and Literatures. In November 2013, Chancellor Carlo Carraro
proposed swapping Ca’ Bembo, along with Ca’ Cappello and Palazzo
Cosulich, for an office block to consolidate university departments, a
controversial move criticized by L’Espresso for lacking a public auction
and potentially violating Italian heritage laws, prompting a
parliamentary inquiry led by MP Davide Zoggia. The palace remains
university property, with its first floor occasionally hosting
contemporary art exhibitions during the Venice Biennale, organized by
the European Cultural Centre. Restorations in the 1990s and 2000s
addressed acqua alta damage, preserving the Gothic structure and
Renaissance portal under the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici.
Ca’ Bembo is located in the Dorsoduro sestiere, a culturally vibrant
district known for its artistic institutions and student life, near the
Accademia Bridge and the Rio di San Trovaso, a short walk from the Grand
Canal. Its position places it close to Chiesa di Santa Maria della
Carità (Gallerie dell’Accademia) (200 meters), Peggy Guggenheim
Collection (300 meters), Chiesa di Santa Margherita (400 meters), Chiesa
di San Raffaele Arcangelo (300 meters), Palazzo Basadonna Giustinian
Recanati (200 meters), Ca’ Rezzonico (300 meters), Chiesa di Santa Maria
dei Carmini (400 meters), and Palazzo Balbi (400 meters). Its proximity
to the Accademia Bridge aligns it with the cultural hub of Dorsoduro,
contrasting with the tourist-heavy San Marco sites like San Moisè, San
Zulian, Palazzo Loredan, Zecca, and Negozio Olivetti, and the more
isolated San Michele in Isola.
The nearest vaporetto stop is
Accademia (Lines 1 and 2, 200 meters), with Ca’ Rezzonico (Lines 1 and
5.1, 300 meters) and San Tomà (Lines 1 and 2, 400 meters) also
accessible. The Santa Lucia railway station is 1.2 km away, reachable by
vaporetto or a 15-minute walk, and Piazza San Marco is 1 km away, a
15-minute walk via the Accademia Bridge. The Alilaguna service to Venice
Marco Polo Airport (13 km) is available at Zattere (500 meters). Ca’
Bembo’s location in Dorsoduro offers a quieter ambiance than San Marco’s
Palazzo Loredan or Zecca, but it is less accessible than Peggy
Guggenheim or Ca’ Rezzonico due to its university function.
As a
university building, Ca’ Bembo has limited public access, primarily for
students and faculty, with occasional tours or exhibitions during the
Venice Biennale (May–November, e.g., 2025 Time Space Existence
exhibition at Palazzo Bembo,). Public tours, costing €5–€10, require
booking via Ca’ Foscari University (+39 041 234 8111 or www.unive.it) or
the European Cultural Centre for Biennale events (www.ecc-italy.eu). The
exterior, viewable from the Rio di San Trovaso or nearby bridges, is a
highlight for architecture enthusiasts, similar to Palazzo Gussoni or
Palazzo Balbi. The garden, one of Venice’s few free public gardens, is
accessible during university events or occupations, as noted by Spotted
by Locals (2021), when it served as a cultural and relaxation space.
Visitors should check tide forecasts via the Hi!Tide app, as acqua alta
may affect access, and plan visits during Biennale periods for
exhibitions.
Ca’ Bembo is a fine example of Venetian Gothic architecture with
significant Renaissance modifications, reflecting its 15th-century
origins and 16th-century rebuild. The original Gothic structure, built
for the Barbarigo family, was transformed in the 1550s by Jacopo
Sansovino, whose monumental portal and partial façade redesign
introduced Florentine and Roman Renaissance influences, as recorded by
Sansovino’s son Francesco. The palace’s eclectic mix of Doric and
Corinthian capitals suggests contributions from other architects,
distinguishing it from Sansovino’s more austere works like the Zecca or
San Zulian.
Exterior
The façade, facing the Rio di San
Trovaso, is a three-story Gothic structure in polychrome brick and
Istrian stone, with Renaissance additions. Key features include:
Ground Floor: A large water portal with a pointed arch, flanked by
smaller windows, designed for gondola access, similar to Palazzo Molin
del Cuoridoro and Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza. The Sansovino
portal, added in the 1550s, features Corinthian columns and a triangular
pediment, a hallmark of Renaissance monumentality.
First Piano
Nobile: A quadrifora (four-light window) with pointed Gothic arches,
trefoil tracery, and marble balustrades, flanked by single-light
windows, reflecting the Venetian Gothic fiorito style seen in Palazzo
Molin and Palazzo Loredan. Renaissance pilasters, possibly by Sansovino,
add classical symmetry.
Second Piano Nobile: A simpler trifora with
Gothic arches, topped by a dentilled cornice and small circular windows,
blending Gothic and Renaissance elements.
Garden: A large rear
garden, a rarity in Venice, features an Istrian stone wellhead sculpted
with the Barbarigo coat of arms, attributed to Antonio Rizzo’s workshop
(c. 1470), adding historical charm.
The façade’s Gothic-Renaissance
fusion contrasts with the Baroque opulence of Ca’ Rezzonico, San Moisè,
and San Geremia, aligning with the Gothic style of Palazzo Molin, San
Carmini, and Santa Maria della Carità, but less classical than San
Michele in Isola or Zecca. The rear courtyard, accessible via Calle
Gambara, features Gothic arches and a well, similar to Palazzo
Basadonna.
Interior
The interior, adapted for university use,
retains historical elements while incorporating modern classrooms and
offices. Key features include:
Main Hall: The former piano nobile
salon, now a lecture hall, features 17th-century Baroque frescoes,
possibly by Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna, depicting allegorical scenes,
restored in the 1990s. The hall’s wooden ceiling and Murano glass
chandeliers reflect its aristocratic past.
Secondary Rooms:
Classrooms and offices retain faded 16th-century stucco and minor
frescoes, less opulent than Ca’ Rezzonico or Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto.
The former keeper’s house, converted into a recording room with recycled
materials during a 2021 occupation, adds a contemporary layer.
Staircase: A 17th-century Baroque staircase, leading to the first piano
nobile, features marble balustrades and stucco decorations, comparable
to Palazzo Balbi’s staircase.
Exhibition Spaces: During the Biennale,
the first floor hosts contemporary art installations, with modern
lighting and open layouts, as noted by ITSLIQUID.
The interior’s
blend of historical decor and modern utility contrasts with the intact
Baroque interiors of San Carmini and Ca’ Rezzonico, aligning with the
functional adaptations of Santa Maria della Carità, Santa Margherita,
and Zecca.
Ca’ Bembo’s artistic offerings are modest due to its university
function, with most original artworks dispersed during ownership
changes. Surviving or documented features include:
Baroque
Frescoes (c. 1650–1700): In the main hall, allegorical scenes, possibly
by Girolamo Mengozzi Colonna, depict Venetian virtues or mythological
themes, restored in the 1990s, comparable to frescoes in Palazzo Loredan
and Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto.
Barbarigo Coat of Arms: The Istrian
stone wellhead in the garden, sculpted by Antonio Rizzo’s workshop (c.
1470), features the Barbarigo emblem, a rare surviving decorative
element.
Lost Tintoretto Frescoes: The façade once featured frescoes
of Ovid’s fables by Tintoretto, noted by Carlo Ridolfi in 1648, but
these were faded by 1929, paralleling the lost artworks of Palazzo
Gussoni and Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza.
Biennale Exhibitions:
During the Venice Biennale, the first floor hosts contemporary art, such
as the 2025 Time Space Existence exhibition, featuring installations
like an e-sports stadium design and a euthanasia chamber, as noted by
Tripadvisor (2025).
The palace’s modest artistry contrasts with the
masterpiece-laden San Apostoli, San Giuseppe di Castello, San Zulian,
San Geremia, San Carmini, Santa Maria della Carità, and Ca’ Rezzonico,
aligning with the sparse decor of San Biagio, Nome di Gesù, Santa
Margherita, San Michele in Isola, Zecca, and Palazzo Loredan.
Ca’ Bembo embodies Venice’s aristocratic and intellectual heritage,
reflecting the Barbarigo family’s prominence as doges and maritime
leaders, akin to the Loredan in Palazzo Loredan, Rezzonico in Ca’
Rezzonico, and Barbarigo in Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza and Palazzo
Barbarigo Minotto. Its Renaissance reconstruction under Sansovino
connects it to Venice’s architectural evolution, seen in San Michele in
Isola and Zecca, while its university role aligns with the academic
functions of Palazzo Basadonna and Santa Maria della Carità. The
palace’s use as a Biennale venue, hosting exhibitions like Time Space
Existence, mirrors the cultural roles of Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto
(opera) and Negozio Olivetti (design exhibitions), contrasting with the
religious focus of San Carmini, San Geremia, and San Michele in Isola.
The garden, a rare public space in Venice, has served as a cultural
and relaxation hub during occupations, as noted in 2021, enhancing its
community role. The 2013 controversy over its proposed sale highlights
Venice’s ongoing debate over heritage preservation, paralleling efforts
for San Carmini and Santa Maria della Carità. Its location in Dorsoduro,
near the Accademia Bridge, integrates it into a vibrant cultural
district, less tourist-heavy than San Marco’s San Moisè or Zecca.
Ca’ Bembo is a niche destination, primarily accessible during
university events or Biennale exhibitions, appealing to architecture
enthusiasts, students, and art lovers. Tripadvisor reviews (4.0/5,
ranked #450 of 957 Venice attractions) praise its “stunning Gothic
façade” and “unique garden,” though note the “limited public access” as
a drawback, similar to Palazzo Loredan, Palazzo Gussoni, and Palazzo
Balbi. Biennale exhibitions, such as the 2025 Time Space Existence show,
are free and feature contemporary designs, with reviewers highlighting
the “fascinating mix of old and new” but noting the small scale compared
to Peggy Guggenheim or Ca’ Rezzonico. The garden, accessible during
events, is described as a “hidden oasis” for relaxation, ideal after
exploring Dorsoduro’s busy streets.
The palace’s proximity to
Campo Santa Margherita (400 meters) adds a lively backdrop, with nearby
attractions including:
Gallerie dell’Accademia (Santa Maria della
Carità) (200 meters): Venetian masterpieces.
Peggy Guggenheim
Collection (300 meters): Modern art museum.
Chiesa di Santa
Margherita (400 meters): Deconsecrated auditorium.
Ca’ Rezzonico (300
meters): 18th-century Venetian museum.
Dining options like Osteria
alla Bifora (400 meters) or Gelateria il Doge (350 meters) offer
Venetian cuisine and gelato.
For a family of four seeking affordable
three-star accommodation in Dorsoduro, options include Hotel Agli
Alboretti (300 meters) or Hotel Tiziano (400 meters), bookable via
Booking.com or Tripadvisor. Visitors should book university or Biennale
tours in advance, check acqua alta conditions via the Hi!Tide app, and
pair the visit with Dorsoduro’s attractions like the Gallerie
dell’Accademia and Campo Santa Margherita for a comprehensive
experience.