Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Local legend associates this palace with at least seven deaths, which gossips claim ef-
fectively dissuaded Woody Allen from buying the place in the 1990s. The former manager
of The Who, Kit Lambert, moved out after complaints of being hounded by the palace's
ghosts, and was found dead shortly thereafter. One week after renting the place for a holi-
day in 2002, The Who's bass player, John Entwhistle, died of a heart attack. At this writ-
ing, Ca' Dario is for sale; any takers?
PALAZZO ZENOBIO
MAP
PALACE
GOOGLE MAP
( 041 522 87 70;
www.collegioarmeno.com
;
Fondamenta del Soccorso 2597; entry fees vary; 10am-5pm Mon-
Sat; Ca' Rezzonico)
A gilded 1690 palace that formerly housed a school for Venice's Ar-
menian community recently opened its doors to visitors, who may recognise its frescoed,
mirrored salon as the setting for Madonna's 1984 'Like a Virgin' video. The palace's
trompe l'œil
frescoed ceilings by Louis Dorigny are splendid, and its overgrown formal
garden is among Venice's largest and loveliest.
TOP SIGHT
CA' REZZONICO
Baroque dreams come true at Baldassare Longhena's Grand Canal palace. Giambattista Tiepolo's
Throne Room
ceiling
is a masterpiece of elegant social climbing, showing gorgeous Merit ascending to the Temple of Glory
clutching the Golden Book of Venetian nobles' names - including Tiepolo's patrons, the Rezzonico family.
In the
Pietro Longhi Salon
, sweeping Grand Canal views are upstaged by the artist's winsome satires of soci-
ety antics observed by disapproving lapdogs.
Sala Rosalba Carriera
features Carriera's wry, unvarnished pastel
portraits of socialites that aren't conventionally pretty but look like they'd be the life of any party. Giandomenico
Tiepolo's swinging court jesters and preening parrots add cheeky humour to the reassembled
Zianigo Villa fres-
coes.
On the top floor, don't miss Emma Ciardi's moody Venice canal views in the
Vedutisti gallery
, and an
an-
tique pharmacy
with 183 majolica ceramic jars of 18th-century remedies.
Check the schedule downstairs for
chamber-music concerts
.
DON'T MISS…
»
Tiepolo's
trompe l'oeil
ceilings
»
Pietro Longhi Salon
