Contarini del Bovolo: The Snail House of Venice
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The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo © William Burnett - FOTOLIA
The Contarini were an
aristocratic Venetian family, eight of whose members became Doge of
Venice. The Contarini mostly resided in prestigious palaces lining the
banks of the Grand Canal, the most fitting environment in which to
display their enormous wealth.
The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is not such a palace. Tucked away in an
obscure alley near the Piazza San Marco, it is a curious but not a
prestigious building.
In order to compensate for the palace's obscure location the architect,
Giorgio Spavento, was commissioned to add an elegant spiral staircase
with a series of vertical arches to the Gothic tower completed by
Giovanni Candi in 1499.
The adjacent wing of the palace consists of a harmonious arrangement of
balustraded arcades but the stairway is undoubtedly the most fascinating
feature. Its spirals are similar to those of a snail’s shell (bovolo)
and the palace has accordingly become known as the “snail house”.
The two small courtyards, and the wellheads at the base of the tower,
are also worthy of note. Many of the wellheads are far older than the
palace and were incorporated within its structure. However, one bears
the Contarini coat-of-arms and so was probably added at a later date.
Rooftops of Venice © Artiom Soloviev - FOTOLIA
The palace was poorly
maintained for many years. The frescos, which once covered the entire
façade, are now only visible from one of the stairwell’s platforms while
several passages to the piani nobili have been bricked up. The
half-arches on the fourth floor were originally full arches but were
partially demolished in order to reduce maintenance costs.
The stairwell has always been well-preserved and has fascinated
successive generations of tourists including Lord Byron and John Ruskin.
The palace is now maintained by the Association of Saint Apollonia which
charges a small fee to climb the stairway. The climb is rather
strenuous, but is rewarded by some excellent rooftop views. Guided tours
are also arranged on request.
The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is open between the hours of 10am and
4pm during the months of April to October.
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