The Gritti Palace, also historically known as Palazzo Gritti Morosini, is one of the most iconic and luxurious historic buildings in Venice, Italy, located in the San Marco sestiere along the Grand Canal. Positioned at the mouth of the Rio di San Moisè, near Campo Santa Maria del Giglio and opposite the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Dorsoduro, it commands a prime spot with views toward Santa Maria della Salute. Originally a noble residence built in the late 15th century, it has been transformed into a world-renowned hotel since 1895, blending Renaissance architecture with opulent interiors and Venetian heritage.
The Gritti Palace’s history is intertwined with Venice’s patrician
families, its maritime dominance, and its evolution into a global
cultural destination:
Origins (1475): Constructed around 1475,
the palace was commissioned by the Gritti family, a prominent Venetian
noble lineage. The Gritti were part of the Case Nuove (new houses),
ennobled before the 1297 Serrata del Maggior Consiglio, and produced
numerous statesmen, including Doge Andrea Gritti (r. 1523–1538), who
likely resided here during his youth or career. The palace’s design
reflects the late Gothic style transitioning to early Renaissance,
aligning with Venice’s architectural shift in the late 15th century.
Morosini Connection: The name Palazzo Gritti Morosini stems from its
acquisition by the Morosini family, another illustrious Venetian clan
with four Doges, through marriage or purchase in the 16th or 17th
century. The Morosini, known as Case Vecchie (old houses), added
prestige to the building, using it as a residence or rental property.
This dual naming reflects Venice’s complex family networks, where
properties often changed hands via dowries or alliances.
Later Owners
and Decline: By the 18th century, as Venice’s economic power waned, the
palace passed through various noble families, including branches of the
Pisani and others, who maintained its grandeur but faced financial
strain. By the early 19th century, it was subdivided into apartments, a
common fate for large palazzi as noble wealth dwindled, with parts
leased to private tenants.
Hotel Conversion (1895): In 1895, the
palace was purchased by the Compagnia dei Grandi Alberghi and
transformed into the Grand Hotel Gritti, capitalizing on Venice’s
growing tourism industry during the Belle Époque. Its location near
Piazza San Marco and luxurious interiors made it a magnet for elite
travelers. In 1947, it was acquired by the CIGA Hotels group (Compagnia
Italiana Grandi Alberghi), and since 1994, it has been part of The
Luxury Collection by Marriott, cementing its status as a five-star
hotel.
Restorations: Major renovations, notably in 2011–2013,
restored the palace’s historic features—frescoes, stucco, and
woodwork—while updating amenities for modern guests. The restoration
respected its 15th-century core, earning accolades for preserving
Venetian craftsmanship while ensuring structural stability against
flooding and subsidence.
The Gritti Palace is a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture
with early Renaissance influences, its facade and interiors reflecting
the wealth and taste of its original owners:
Facade:
Grand
Canal Presence: The palace’s white stone facade, stretching along the
Grand Canal, is a striking example of late Gothic Venetian style, with a
delicate balance of openness and solidity. It features a series of
pointed arches and tracery typical of the period, softened by
Renaissance symmetry emerging in the 1470s.
Ground Floor: The canal
level has a large water portal flanked by rounded arches, designed for
boat access (gondolas or barges) to the palazzo’s entrance hall. The
arches are framed in Istrian stone, a creamy limestone resistant to
saltwater, with carved details like rosettes or foliage.
Piano
Nobile: The main floor, elevated to avoid flooding, boasts a polifora—a
multi-light window with six or more pointed arches separated by slender
columns, a hallmark of Venetian Gothic seen in palaces like Ca’ Foscari.
The polifora is crowned with intricate tracery, possibly quatrefoil or
trefoil patterns, admitting light into the grand salon.
Upper Floors:
The second and third floors have smaller bifore (twin-arched windows)
and monofore (single windows), aligned symmetrically to reflect
Renaissance influence. These windows are framed by stone mullions and
topped with decorative lunettes, maintaining the Gothic flair.
Roofline: The facade ends in a crenelated or flat roof, hidden by a low
parapet, with chimneys or small terraces typical of Venetian palazzi.
The white stone contrasts with the canal’s teal waters, creating a
luminous effect.
Structure:
Three-Story Layout: The palace
follows the classic Venetian palazzo plan: a ground floor for storage
and boat access, a piano nobile for formal living, and upper floors for
family quarters or guests. Its footprint is compact compared to
sprawling palazzi like Ca’ Rezzonico, reflecting the Gritti’s urban
constraints.
Courtyard and Well: At the rear, a small courtyard with
a decorative wellhead (likely 16th-century) collects rainwater via
cisterns, a necessity in Venice’s lagoon setting. The courtyard,
accessed via Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, provides light and air to the
interior.
Foundation: Built on thousands of wooden piles driven into
the lagoon’s mud, the palace exemplifies Venetian engineering. The 2013
restoration reinforced these piles and waterproofed the ground floor
against acqua alta.
Interior:
Entrance Hall: The canal portal
leads to a grand androne, a vaulted hall once used for unloading goods,
now a luxurious lobby with marble floors and Murano chandeliers. The
space retains its 15th-century scale but is adorned with 19th-century
opulence.
Piano Nobile: The main salon, or portego, is a vast room
with high ceilings, originally used for receptions. It features restored
frescoes, possibly by 16th-century artists like Tintoretto’s school, and
stucco work added in the 18th century. Gilded wood paneling, Venetian
mirrors, and silk wall coverings create a sumptuous ambiance.
Guest
Rooms and Suites: The palace’s 82 rooms, including 21 suites, blend
historic elements—exposed beams, terrazzo floors, antique furniture—with
modern comforts like marble bathrooms and Wi-Fi. Notable suites, like
the Doge Gritti Suite, offer canal views and artifacts like 18th-century
paintings or tapestries.
Decorative Arts: The interiors showcase
Venetian craftsmanship: Murano glass chandeliers, Rubelli fabrics, and
Fortuny lamps, alongside Renaissance-era fireplaces and Baroque
consoles. Artworks include portraits and mythological scenes, some
original to the palace, others curated during its hotel era.
Club del
Doge Restaurant: Housed in the former portego, this Michelin-recommended
dining room overlooks the canal, with gilded ceilings and frescoed walls
evoking Venetian feasts. The adjacent Bar Longhi, named for painter
Pietro Longhi, features 18th-century-inspired decor.
Environmental Adaptation:
The elevated piano nobile and reinforced
ground floor protect against flooding, with modern pumps and barriers
added post-2013. Large windows maximize light and breezes, essential in
Venice’s humid climate.
The facade’s Istrian stone resists erosion,
while brick interiors, coated with lime plaster, ensure breathability.
The courtyard’s cistern system, though decorative today, recalls
Venice’s self-sufficient water management.
The Gritti Palace’s prime location in San Marco enhances its status
as a Venetian landmark:
Grand Canal: Positioned at a wide bend,
the palace enjoys unobstructed views of the canal’s traffic—gondolas,
vaporetti, and yachts—and landmarks like the Salute across the water.
Its facade is a focal point for those approaching from the Bacino di San
Marco.
San Marco Sestiere: The heart of Venice’s political and
cultural life, San Marco places the Gritti near power centers like the
Doge’s Palace (600 meters northeast) and St. Mark’s Basilica (500 meters
northeast). The quieter Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, behind the palace,
offers a local contrast with its church and small shops.
Nearby
Landmarks:
Santa Maria della Salute (200 meters across the canal):
The Baroque basilica frames the Gritti’s canal views, creating a
postcard-perfect scene.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (150 meters
southwest): In Dorsoduro, it complements the Gritti’s cultural allure
with modern art.
Teatro La Fenice (300 meters north): Venice’s opera
house adds to the area’s artistic vibrancy.
Ponte dell’Accademia (400
meters southwest): This bridge links San Marco to Dorsoduro, funneling
pedestrians past the Gritti.
Accessibility: The Gritti’s private
dock welcomes guests by water taxi or gondola, while the Santa Maria del
Giglio vaporetto stop is a minute’s walk. Pedestrians reach it via
narrow calli like Calle del Traghetto or the campo, navigating San
Marco’s maze-like charm.
Views: From the palace’s terrace or suites,
guests see the canal’s sweep toward the Rialto, the Salute’s dome, and
San Giorgio Maggiore’s silhouette. From the canal, the Gritti’s white
facade glows, its Gothic arches reflecting Venice’s golden age.
The Gritti Palace is a cultural touchstone, embodying Venice’s noble
past and artistic legacy:
Patrician Power: As home to the Gritti
and Morosini families, it housed Venice’s ruling elite, with Doge Andrea
Gritti shaping the Republic’s diplomacy during the Italian Wars. His
legacy, tied to cultural patronage and urban renewal (e.g., Piazza San
Marco’s redesign), elevates the palace’s historical weight.
Literary
and Artistic Magnet: The Gritti Hotel attracted luminaries like Ernest
Hemingway, who stayed in the 1940s and wrote parts of Across the River
and Into the Trees, calling it a second home. Other guests included W.
Somerset Maugham, John Ruskin, and Peggy Guggenheim, drawn to its
elegance and canal views. Its interiors inspired artists and writers,
with its frescoes and antiques evoking Venice’s Renaissance splendor.
Venetian Identity: The palace’s Gothic facade, Murano glass, and canal
setting encapsulate Venice’s aesthetic—light, water, and craftsmanship.
Its transformation into a hotel mirrors the city’s shift from maritime
empire to cultural capital, preserving heritage for a global audience.
Cinematic Fame: The Gritti has appeared in films and media, from Woody
Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You to travel documentaries, its facade a
shorthand for Venetian luxury.
Since 1895, the Gritti Palace has operated as a luxury hotel, one of
Venice’s most prestigious, blending historic charm with five-star
service:
Hospitality: With 82 rooms, including suites named for
Hemingway and Doge Gritti, the hotel caters to affluent travelers,
offering canal-view terraces, personalized service, and amenities like a
spa and cooking school. Rates often exceed €1,000 per night, reflecting
its exclusivity.
Culinary Excellence: The Club del Doge restaurant,
led by chef Daniele Turco, serves Venetian cuisine—sarde in saor,
risotto di gò—using lagoon ingredients, earning Michelin praise. Bar
Longhi is a cozy retreat for cocktails, its decor evoking 18th-century
salons.
Cultural Hub: The hotel hosts events like literary readings,
art exhibitions, and Biennale tie-ins, leveraging its proximity to
Venice’s cultural scene. The Gritti Epicurean School offers cooking
classes, teaching dishes like bigoli in salsa, rooted in Venetian
tradition.
Preservation: The 2013 restoration, costing millions,
reinforced the foundation, restored artworks, and revived textiles by
Rubelli, ensuring the palace withstands acqua alta and tourism’s wear.
Marriott’s stewardship balances heritage with guest comfort, maintaining
features like 15th-century fireplaces.
Tourist Magnet: The Gritti
draws visitors for its history and luxury, even if they don’t stay. Its
terrace café, open to non-guests, offers canal views, while gondola
tours highlight its facade as a Gothic gem near the Salute.
Doge’s Residence: Andrea Gritti’s connection makes it one of few
palazzi tied to a reigning Doge, lending it rare historical cachet.
Hemingway’s Haunt: Hemingway’s suite, with its canal-view desk, is
preserved as a literary shrine, attracting fans of his Venetian novel.
Art Collection: The hotel displays original pieces, like 16th-century
Madonnas and 18th-century landscapes, alongside modern works curated for
guests.
Flood Resilience: The 2013 upgrades included advanced flood
barriers, protecting the androne during severe acqua alta, a model for
Venice’s heritage sites.