Ca’ Zenobio degli Armeni, also known as Palazzo Zenobio or simply Ca’ Zenobio, is a splendid Baroque palace in the Dorsoduro sestiere of Venice, Italy, located at Fondamenta del Soccorso, Dorsoduro 2596, near Campo dei Carmini and Campo San Sebastiano. Built in the late 17th century by architect Antonio Gaspari for the Zenobio family from Verona, it was later acquired by the Armenian Mekhitarist Order in 1850, becoming the seat of the Moorat-Raphael College until 1997. Renowned for its opulent Sala degli Specchi (Hall of Mirrors), frescoed by artists like Ludovico Dorigny and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, and its rare private garden, the palace is a cultural hub hosting concerts, exhibitions, and events, notably during the Venice Biennale.
Ca’ Zenobio was constructed between 1690 and 1700 on the foundations
of a 14th-century Gothic palace owned by the Morosini family, a
prominent Venetian clan. In 1664, the Zenobio family, wealthy landowners
from Verona who had recently purchased Venetian nobility in 1647,
acquired the property. Verità Zenobio and her brother Pietro
commissioned Antonio Gaspari, a pupil of the renowned Baroque architect
Baldassarre Longhena, to redesign the palace into a grand Baroque
residence, reflecting their ambition to integrate into Venetian high
society. The palace’s completion in 1690 coincided with a marriage
between a Zenobio daughter and a Venetian nobleman, marking the family’s
social ascent.
The Zenobio family retained ownership until the
mid-19th century, when their lineage extinguished. In 1844, Count Salvi
from Vicenza purchased the palace, undertaking renovations. In 1850, the
Armenian Mekhitarist Order, based on the island of San Lazzaro degli
Armeni since 1717, acquired Ca’ Zenobio to establish the Moorat-Raphael
College, a boarding school for Armenian students funded by benefactors
Samuel Mkrtich Moorat and Edward Raphael from Madras, India. The
college, which operated from 1851 to 1997, provided a European education
to Armenian youth, fostering cultural exchange between Venice and the
Armenian diaspora. The Mekhitarists’ acquisition reflects Venice’s
long-standing role as a haven for Armenians, dating back to Marco Polo’s
era, with trade in goods like apricots (called armelin in Venetian) and
cultural tolerance exemplified by the nearby Santa Croce degli Armeni
church.
The palace’s history is marked by its adaptability. After
the college closed in 1997 due to funding issues, it became a venue for
cultural events, including concerts by the Ensemble Guarneri Virtuoso,
exhibitions during the Venice Biennale, and high-profile media
productions, such as Madonna’s 1984 Like a Virgin music video and Laura
Pausini’s 2004 Vivimi video, filmed in the Sala degli Specchi. Scenes
from the German TV series Commissario Brunetti (2006–2016) and The
Amazing Race Season 29 (2016) were also shot here, underscoring its
cinematic appeal. Today, still owned by the Armenian community, Ca’
Zenobio remains a vibrant cultural center, hosting events and preserving
its Baroque grandeur.
Ca’ Zenobio is situated at Fondamenta del Soccorso, Dorsoduro 2596,
30123 Venezia, along the Rio Carmini, a canal connecting the Chiesa dei
Carmini to the Chiesa dell’Angelo Raffaele. The palace is linked to
Palazzo Ariani via the Ponte del Soccorso and is a short walk from
Palazzo Foscarini and Campo Santa Margherita, Dorsoduro’s lively social
hub. Its location in the bohemian Dorsoduro sestiere, known for street
artists, students, and cultural landmarks like the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection and Ca’ Rezzonico, places it in a vibrant, artsy context.
The palace is accessible by vaporetto (Line 1 or 2, Ca’ Rezzonico or
San Basilio stops, 5–10 minutes from Piazzale Roma) or on foot from
Campo Santa Margherita (5-minute walk). The canal-side facade is best
viewed from a gondola or water taxi, offering a striking perspective of
its Baroque symmetry. The land entrance, via Fondamenta del Soccorso,
leads to a romantic garden and courtyard, though access is gated.
Unlike public museums, Ca’ Zenobio is not regularly open to
tourists, but it hosts cultural events, concerts, and exhibitions,
particularly during the Venice Biennale (May–November, odd years).
Visitors can access the palace through guided tours, such as those
offered by Best Venice Guides (e.g., Federica Gullino,
federica.gullino@gmail.com) or Tripadvisor’s “Palazzo Zenobio and
Ancient Armenian Print House” tour (€74.17 per adult, 2 hours), which
includes the Sala degli Specchi and the restored Armenian print house.
Event tickets, such as for Ensemble Guarneri concerts, are available via
Tripadvisor or the palace’s management (+39 041 522 8770). The palace is
also rented for weddings and private events, with inquiries handled by
the Armenian community or event organizers like Venice Events.
Tripadvisor reviews recommend booking tours in advance, with
cancellations permitted up to 24 hours prior for a full refund.
Nearby attractions include the Scuola Grande dei Carmini (0.1 km, with
Tiepolo frescoes), Chiesa di San Sebastiano (0.2 km, Veronese
paintings), and Ca’ Rezzonico (0.4 km, 18th-century museum). Dining
options like Osteria ai Carmini (0.21 km) or Osteria Ca’ del Vento (0.25
km) offer local cuisine, enhancing the visitor experience.
Ca’ Zenobio degli Armeni is a three-story Baroque palace with an attic, built on the foundations of a 14th-century Gothic Palazzo Morosini. Designed by Antonio Gaspari, it exemplifies Venetian Baroque’s theatricality and opulence, adapted to the city’s constrained urban and lagoon environment.
Canal-Side Facade: The facade along Rio Carmini is a model of Baroque
symmetry, stretching across three levels with 46 monofore (single
windows) and three ground-floor entrances. The central section features
a large arched opening on each piano nobile, flanked by rectangular
windows with pediments, creating a rhythmic balance. Two serliane
(Palladian windows with a central arch and rectangular side openings)
adorn the garden-facing facade, a classical touch reflecting Gaspari’s
training under Longhena. The facade, clad in Istrian stone, is crowned
by a notched cornice, once featuring the Zenobio coat of arms (now
relocated to the garden). The design’s “strict symmetry” and “long,
articulated” form distinguish it from Gothic predecessors like Palazzo
Foscarini.
Garden Facade: The garden-facing facade, designed with
input from neoclassical architect Tommaso Temanza in 1777, includes two
Venetian windows with pediments in the central section, adding grandeur.
A small 18th-century loggia at the garden’s southern end, also by
Temanza, houses the archive and library, used for literary gatherings by
the Zenobio family.
Garden and Courtyard: The palace boasts one of
Venice’s largest private gardens, a “French-style” rarity in a city with
limited green space. Enclosed by an iron gate, the garden features yews,
laurels, cypresses, hackberries, pittosporum, and locust trees, creating
a romantic, secluded oasis. The courtyard, partially paved, includes the
relocated Zenobio coat of arms and weathered statues, evoking a country
estate.
Layout: The palace follows a traditional Venetian plan, with a
central portego on the piano nobile connecting canal and land entrances,
flanked by grand salons and smaller rooms. The ground floor houses
service areas, exhibition spaces, and a dining room, while the second
and third floors include guest rooms (15 rooms with 1–4 beds) and the
former college’s facilities. The portego, partially preserved from the
Gothic structure, features three vedute and two etchings by Luca
Carlevarijs, depicting Venetian scenes.
Sala degli Specchi (Hall of
Mirrors): The palace’s centerpiece, this double-height ballroom extends
over two floors, facing a first-floor balcony. Decorated by Ludovico
Dorigny, Gregorio Lazzarini, and a young Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, it
features frescoes of mythological subjects, including the myth of Apollo
glorifying the Zenobio family, set within trompe-l’œil architectures.
The walls are adorned with stucco by Abbondio Stazio, incorporating
gold, pinks, and whites, with spirals, festoons, and medallions creating
a theatrical effect. Large mirrors amplify the light, earning
comparisons to a “small Versailles.” A hidden gallery once housed
musicians, allowing the entire floor for dancing, as noted by Best
Venice Guides. The room’s “party atmosphere” has hosted events like
Madonna’s Like a Virgin video shoot (1984).
Adjacent Rooms: Smaller
salons feature additional frescoes by Dorigny, Lazzarini, and Tiepolo,
including panels depicting Queen Zenobia of Palmyra, a supposed Zenobio
ancestor, blending myth with family pride. The rooms retain 18th-century
furniture and chandeliers, enhancing the Baroque ambiance.
Chapel: A
small private chapel, originally for the Zenobio family, preserves its
18th-century decor, with possible stucco or religious art, though
details are scarce.
Archive and Library: Designed by Tommaso Temanza
in 1777, this neoclassical space at the garden’s end houses Armenian
manuscripts and books, reflecting the Mekhitarists’ scholarly mission.
Armenian Print House: Restored in recent years, this historic print
house on the ground floor underscores the Armenian commitment to
publishing, vital for preserving their culture. It is a highlight of
guided tours.
The palace’s Baroque design, with its lavish frescoes
and garden, contrasts with the Gothic simplicity of its Morosini
predecessor, marking a shift toward theatricality in Venetian
architecture. Its preservation reflects the Mekhitarists’ dedication to
cultural heritage.
Restoration efforts have ensured Ca’ Zenobio’s survival amidst
Venice’s environmental challenges:
1844: Count Salvi’s
renovations modernized the palace, likely addressing structural wear and
updating interiors for the Mekhitarists.
Early 20th Century:
Architect Vincenzo Rinaldo restored the palace, focusing on the piano
nobile and garden, preserving frescoes and stucco.
21st Century: The
Armenian community maintains the palace, with recent efforts restoring
the Armenian print house, as highlighted in Tripadvisor tours. Regular
maintenance combats flooding and humidity, funded by event revenue and
Mekhitarist resources. The garden’s pristine condition and the Sala
degli Specchi’s vibrant frescoes indicate ongoing care, possibly
supported by organizations like Save Venice.
The palace’s private
status and event use have protected it from over-tourism, unlike public
sites like Ca’ Rezzonico, but its commercial activities require careful
management to preserve delicate features like Tiepolo’s frescoes.
Ca’ Zenobio degli Armeni is a cultural landmark bridging Venetian and
Armenian heritage. The Zenobio family’s commission reflects their social
ambition, using Baroque grandeur to integrate into Venetian nobility, a
common strategy for “foresti” (outsiders). The palace’s transformation
into the Moorat-Raphael College in 1850 underscores Venice’s role as a
safe haven for Armenians, fostering cultural preservation through
education and publishing. The Mekhitarists, also based at San Lazzaro
degli Armeni, made Ca’ Zenobio a global center for Armenian culture,
complementing their monastery’s library of 150,000 volumes and 4,000
manuscripts.
The Sala degli Specchi’s artistic legacy, with
frescoes by Dorigny, Lazzarini, and Tiepolo, places the palace among
Venice’s Baroque masterpieces, rivaling Palazzo Belloni Battagia’s
opulence. Its use in Madonna’s Like a Virgin video and other media
productions highlights its cinematic allure, while its Biennale
exhibitions and Ensemble Guarneri concerts maintain its role as a
cultural hub. Tripadvisor reviews praise the “fantastic” atmosphere and
“brilliant virtuosity” of events, ranking it in the top 10% of Venice
attractions.
The palace’s garden, a rare private green space,
evokes Venice’s hidden estates, while the Armenian print house
underscores the Mekhitarists’ commitment to cultural continuity,
especially during Ottoman persecution. Venice’s tolerance, reflected in
its Armenian community since Marco Polo’s era, is embodied in Ca’
Zenobio’s dual identity as a Venetian palace and Armenian institution.
Its inclusion in UNESCO’s Venice and its Lagoon World Heritage Site
affirms its global significance.
Visiting Ca’ Zenobio is a unique experience, offering access to one
of Venice’s most opulent Baroque interiors during events or guided
tours. The Sala degli Specchi, described as a “sublime expression of
Baroque art,” is the highlight, with its frescoes, mirrors, and gold
stucco creating a theatrical ambiance. Tripadvisor reviewers call it a
“marvellous palace” and a “must for a typical stay in Venice,” praising
concerts by the Ensemble Guarneri Virtuoso for their “brilliant spirit”
and the palace’s “characteristic atmosphere.” The garden, with its lush
greenery and Temanza’s loggia, is a serene contrast to Venice’s stone
cityscape, often used for summer receptions and concerts.
Guided
tours, such as the “Palazzo Zenobio and Ancient Armenian Print House” (2
hours, €74.17), include the piano nobile, print house, and garden,
offering insights into Armenian-Venetian history. Booking via
Tripadvisor or Best Venice Guides is recommended, with cancellations
allowed 24 hours in advance. Events like weddings or Biennale
exhibitions provide additional access, though photography may be
restricted. The visit typically lasts 1–2 hours, longer for concerts or
receptions.
The surrounding Dorsoduro sestiere enhances the
experience, with attractions like the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, Chiesa
di San Sebastiano, and Ca’ Rezzonico within a 5–10 minute walk. Dining
at Osteria ai Carmini or Osteria Ca’ del Vento offers local flavors,
while Campo Santa Margherita’s nightlife appeals to students and
artists. The palace’s quieter setting, away from San Marco’s crowds,
makes it ideal for those seeking an authentic, artsy experience.