The Palazzo Priuli Bon is a Gothic-style palace located in the Santa Croce sestiere of Venice, Italy, with its main facade overlooking the Grand Canal. Positioned between the Palazzo Duodo and the Campo San Stae, near the San Stae vaporetto stop, it is a striking example of 14th-century Venetian architecture, reflecting the city’s mercantile wealth and Byzantine influences. Originally built for the noble Priuli family and later owned by the Bon family, it has served various roles, from a patrician residence to an exhibition space today.
The Palazzo Priuli Bon’s history is rooted in Venice’s aristocratic
families and the city’s evolution as a maritime power:
Construction (Late 14th Century): The palace was erected toward the end
of the 14th century, around 1370–1390, for Lunardo Priuli, a member of
the influential Priuli family of Hungarian descent. The Priuli, tracing
their origins to Silvestro Priolus (circa 1000), were ennobled before
the 1297 Serrata del Maggior Consiglio and produced two Doges—Lorenzo
Priuli (1556–1559) and Girolamo Priuli (1559–1567). The palace’s
construction coincided with the completion of the Doge’s Palace,
reflecting similar architectural innovations in secular buildings.
Ownership Transitions: Lunardo Priuli owned the palace until his death
in 1543. By the 16th or 17th century, it passed to the Bon family,
originally from San Canciano, through marriage or purchase. The Bon were
a patrician family, though less prominent than the Priuli, and
maintained the palace’s prestige. The last Bon heir, Lorenzo Bon, died
in 1792, marking the end of the family’s direct line. In 1796, the
Dandolo family, another noble clan with Doges in their lineage, resided
here, possibly as tenants or owners, reflecting Venice’s declining
nobility under Napoleonic pressures.
Post-Republic Era: After
Venice’s fall to Napoleon in 1797, many palazzi faced subdivision or
repurposing. The Palazzo Priuli Bon avoided significant decay, likely
due to its prime Grand Canal location. By the 19th century, it was
leased or sold, with parts used for residential or commercial purposes,
a common fate for Venetian palaces as noble wealth waned.
Modern Use:
Since the 20th century, the palace has been repurposed for cultural
exhibitions, hosting art shows and events, often tied to the Venice
Biennale or private galleries. Its ground floor, with direct canal
access, is ideal for displaying contemporary works, connecting Venice’s
historic architecture to modern creativity.
The Palazzo Priuli Bon is a quintessential example of Venetian Gothic architecture, blending Veneto-Byzantine and Italian Gothic elements with Moorish influences, shaped by the city’s trade with the East:
Grand Canal Elevation: The facade, facing the Grand Canal, is a
vertical composition, expanding upward rather than outward due to
Venice’s high land costs. It showcases a layered design, with the ground
floor retaining original Veneto-Byzantine semicircular arches,
reminiscent of early palazzi like the Fondaco dei Turchi. These arches,
likely five or six in number, formed an open portico for boat access,
framed in Istrian stone for durability.
Piano Nobile: The main floor
features a polifora—a multi-light window with pointed ogee arches, a
hallmark of Venetian Gothic seen in the Ca’ d’Oro. The polifora,
possibly six or eight lights wide, is divided by slender columns and
crowned with intricate tracery (quatrefoil or trefoil patterns),
admitting light into the grand salon. The arches’ pointed shape and
delicate carvings reflect Moorish influences via Sicily and Spain.
Upper Floors: The second and third floors have smaller bifore
(twin-arched windows) or monofore (single windows), aligned
asymmetrically to balance light and structure. These windows maintain
the ogee arch motif, with stone mullions and decorative lunettes,
showing the Gothic restructuring that updated the original Byzantine
base.
Material and Color: The facade combines Istrian stone for
arches and frames with brick, coated in plaster painted a pale hue
(likely cream or pinkish-white), typical of Venetian palazzi. Traces of
frescoes, possibly once adorning the facade, have faded, as noted in
historical descriptions.
Three-Story Layout: The palace follows the Venetian palazzo model: a
ground floor (androne) for trade and storage, a piano nobile for formal
living, and upper floors for family quarters or servants. Its narrow
footprint, constrained by neighboring buildings, emphasizes verticality,
with a height of about 20–25 meters.
Foundation: Built on wooden
piles driven into the lagoon’s mud, the palace uses lightweight brick to
reduce foundation stress. The 1969 photographs by Paolo Monti highlight
its structural integrity, despite centuries of exposure to tides and
humidity.
Courtyard: A small rear courtyard, accessed via Campo San
Stae, likely contains a wellhead for rainwater collection, a standard
feature in Venice’s cistern-based water system. The courtyard provides
light to the back, compensating for the canal-facing facade’s dominance.
Androne: The ground floor, once a bustling trade hall, has a vaulted
ceiling and canal-side portal, now used for exhibitions. Its spacious
rooms, illuminated by the portico arches, feature modern lighting and
electrical systems for art displays, as noted in Biennale records.
Piano Nobile: The main salon, or portego, is a grand space with high
ceilings, originally frescoed or paneled. While much original decor
(e.g., paintings or stucco) has been dispersed, the room retains Gothic
elements like pointed arches or exposed beams. Exhibition use has
introduced temporary partitions, but the salon’s scale evokes its noble
past.
Upper Floors: These likely housed private apartments, with
smaller rooms featuring wooden floors and simpler decor. Modern
conversions for exhibitions or offices may include air conditioning and
Wi-Fi, balancing heritage with utility.
Decorative Traces: Historical
accounts suggest the palace once held busts (e.g., in the style of
Alessandro Vittoria) and Priuli family portraits, now lost or relocated.
The androne may still display a devotional shrine, a Venetian tradition,
though specifics are undocumented
The ground floor’s portico and elevated piano nobile protect against
acqua alta, with modern flood barriers added. Large windows ensure
ventilation in Venice’s humid climate, while brick walls, coated with
lime plaster, resist dampness.
The private dock, noted in Biennale
descriptions, allows boat access for art installations or deliveries,
echoing its mercantile origins when goods were unloaded directly from
the canal.
The Palazzo Priuli Bon’s Grand Canal location in Santa Croce places
it in a dynamic, less tourist-saturated sestiere, blending historic
grandeur with local life:
Grand Canal: As Venice’s main artery,
the canal showcases the palace’s facade to passing gondolas and
vaporetti. Positioned near a gentle curve, it enjoys views toward the
Ca’ Pesaro (290 meters northeast) and the Rialto Bridge (580 meters
southeast), framing its Gothic arches against the water’s reflection.
Santa Croce Sestiere: Less crowded than San Marco, Santa Croce offers a
mix of palazzi, churches, and local bars. The Campo San Stae, steps
away, is a lively square with the Baroque San Stae church, tying the
palace to the area’s cultural pulse.
Nearby Landmarks:
Ca’ d’Oro
(290 meters east): A Gothic masterpiece, it shares the palace’s
14th-century aesthetic but is more ornate, highlighting Priuli Bon’s
restraint.
Palazzo Mocenigo (200 meters west): A noble residence tied
to Doges, it mirrors the palace’s patrician roots but is larger and
Baroque.
Fondaco dei Tedeschi (600 meters southeast): A former
warehouse, it contrasts with Priuli Bon’s residential focus but shares
its canal-side prominence.
Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista
(400 meters southwest): A historic confraternity, it adds to Santa
Croce’s civic heritage.
Accessibility: The San Stae vaporetto
stop, directly adjacent, connects the palace to routes along the Grand
Canal and to the airport via the Alilaguna Arancione line. Pedestrians
reach it via Calle del Tintor or Calle Larga dei Bari, with the campo
offering a quiet respite.
Views: From the facade, the palace
overlooks the canal’s bustle—boats, palazzi, and distant bridges—while
from the campo, its side profile reveals brickwork and Gothic details.
The canal’s northern light bathes the facade, ideal for exhibitions.
The Palazzo Priuli Bon is a cultural artifact, reflecting Venice’s
Gothic golden age and its adaptability:
Priuli Legacy: The Priuli
family’s prominence—merchants, ambassadors, and Doges—imbues the palace
with historical weight. Figures like Silvestro Priuli, a crusader, and
Francesco Priuli, an ambassador to Spain, highlight their global
influence, with the palace as their Venetian anchor.
Architectural
Innovation: Built soon after the Doge’s Palace, it adopted similar
Gothic-Byzantine motifs, marking a step toward the mature Venetian
Gothic style. Its polifora and ogee arches, blending Italian and Moorish
elements, show Venice’s role as a cultural crossroads, enriched by trade
with Constantinople and the Levant.
Artistic Connections: The facade
was reportedly frescoed by Palma Vecchio (1480–1528), a Renaissance
master, though these have faded. If true, this aligns the palace with
Venice’s artistic flourishing, seen in nearby works by Titian or
Tintoretto. Its current use for exhibitions (e.g., the 2016 Vento
d’Oriente Lebanese art show) continues this creative thread, linking
past and present.
Social Evolution: From noble residence to Bon
family seat, then Dandolo occupants, the palace traces Venice’s shifting
aristocracy. Its post-1797 role as a rental or civic space reflects the
Republic’s fall, while its exhibition use today mirrors Venice’s pivot
to cultural tourism.
Today, the Palazzo Priuli Bon serves primarily as an exhibition
space, with occasional use for private events, preserving its heritage
while engaging the public:
Exhibitions: The ground floor, with
two large rooms described in Biennale records, hosts art shows, such as
the 2016 Vento d’Oriente featuring Lebanese artists. Its canal-side dock
and campo access make it ideal for installations, with modern amenities
like spotlights and restrooms supporting displays. The palace’s Gothic
ambiance enhances contemporary works, drawing parallels between Venice’s
historic and global roles.
Preservation: Venice’s Superintendency for
Architectural Heritage oversees maintenance, addressing acqua alta,
subsidence, and stone erosion. The 1969 Monti photographs show a
well-preserved facade, and recent efforts likely include pile
reinforcement and plaster renewal, funded privately or via cultural
grants.
Tourist Appeal: While not open daily, the palace attracts art
lovers and architecture enthusiasts during exhibitions, often tied to
the Biennale (e.g., 2017 events). Its Grand Canal facade is a highlight
for vaporetto riders, featured in guides as a Gothic gem near San Stae.
The campo’s cafes and nearby bacari draw locals, blending the palace
into Santa Croce’s lived-in vibe.
Limited Access: Unlike
museum-palazzi like Ca’ Rezzonico, it’s not a public venue, but private
tours or event rentals may be arranged, offering glimpses of the piano
nobile’s grandeur.
Gothic-Byzantine Blend: The facade’s semicircular ground arches, rare
by the 14th century, link it to early palazzi like the Fondaco dei
Turchi, while the ogee arches above signal the Gothic shift, a snapshot
of Venice’s architectural evolution.
Biennale Connection: Its use for
modern art, like the 2016 Lebanese exhibition, echoes Venice’s historic
role as an East-West hub, with Beirut and Venice as twin cultural ports.
Lost Frescoes: Palma Vecchio’s alleged frescoes, if they existed, would
have rivaled those at the Doge’s Palace, hinting at the Priuli’s wealth
and patronage.
Dandolo Footnote: The 1796 Dandolo residency, just
before Venice’s fall, ties the palace to the Republic’s final days, a
poignant historical bookmark.