Address, opening hours and entrance fee

Address: Ramo Grimani, 4858 – 30124 Castello, Venezia. Telephone: +39 041 520 034. Opening Hours: From 08.15 to 19.15; Sunday from 14.00 to 19.00. Closed: Mondays. Entrance fee: Not known. (NB: Due to the Covid crisis, opening hours may differ from those indicated here).

History and description

The Palazzo Grimani is one of at least four buildings in the city with the same name. To distinguish it from the other palaces it is called Palazzo Grimani di San Luca.

Built between 1541 and 1575, it is the only non-Gothic-style building in the immediate vicinity. It was designed by Michele Sanmicheli, who is best known for the many buildings he designed in his hometown Verona.

The main feature of the facade are by the pillars and columns which protrude further than is usual in relation to the building’s windows.

The windows themselves are also larger than usual and there is a rather cute story attached to this. The owner of the palace, who was in love with a young lady, was rejected because he was not rich enough. He subsequently had all the windows of his property made larger than the main entrance to his lover’s palace. Probably the story is not true, but it is definitely worth telling.

Sanmichele was not to see the completion of his design. When he died in 1559, only the ground floor and part of the first floor had been built. First Giangiacomo de’ Grigi, and then Antonio Rusconi, would finally finish the work.

Artists

Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559) came from a family of architects. He did most of his work in Verona, where he was born. In Verona he designed three city gates, including the majestic Porta Nuova. He also designed the Palazzo Canossa and worked on the Palazzo della Ragione, the Cathedral and the Santa Maria in Organo Church. In Orvieto he designed an altar in the Duomo and the Petrucci Chapel in the San Domenico Church.

Palazzo Grimani di San Luca, Venice