The Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

The Snail House of Venice

 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.

© 2006 LACT Limited. All rights reserved.

 

Sitemap Ca' Rezzonico  Palazzo Labia  Museo Correr  Contarini del Bovolo  Fenice Opera House  Naval History Museum  Palazzo Venier dei Leoni  Ca' d'Oro  Ca' Pesaro  Fondaco dei Turchi  Palazzo Grassi Doge's Palace