Ca' d'Oro - Franchetti Gallery

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The time you select on the order form is your preferred time. The closest available time, which can be anytime during opening hours on the selected date, will be automatically confirmed if your preferred time is no longer available.

Once the visit is confirmed, you can not cancel or modify.

Opening hours: Monday from 08:15 to 14:00; from Tuesday to Sunday from 08:15 to 19:15. Ticket office closes 30 minutes before museum closure. Closure: January 1st, May 1st, December 25th.

* Opening hours on Sundays and holidays are subject to change due to staff shortages. It is also possible that during holidays, from 8:15am to 10am and 6pm to 7:15pm, the second floor of the museum is open only for guided groups (information at the box office).

Reservations must be made with a minimum of 1 day notice.

Reservations must be made with a minimum of 1-day notice.

This reservation is made through Vivaticket, official licensee of Venice Museums.

Make the most of your visit – use the AUDIO GUIDE to complete your Ca’ d'Oro experience, in additions to the catalogue and guide book.

The audio guide is available for diverse technological media supports:

• portable walkman
• MP3 sets
• handheld devices and other computer tablets

Texts are specially written by art historians and aimed at a wide audience.

Headsets offer the possibility to choose your own itinerary freely, and in your own time.

The following languages are available: Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

The Ca d'Oro - rightfully named “house of gold” - is one of the most beautiful palazzi on the Canal Grande, and represents the highest and most complete example of the new Gothic architecture between the end of the 14th century and the first half of the 15th century.

The palace was built between 1421 and 1440 by the rich Venetian Merchant Marino Contarini, on the grounds of a previous Venetian-Byzantine residence. Famous sculptors such as Marco d'Amadio, Matteo Raverti, Giovanni and Bartolomeo Buon participated in its creation.

Constructed on the ancient foundation of the previous residence, three arches were added to the innovative project. The whole facade is covered by marble of various shades, accentuated by red Verona marble.

On the ground floor, a high wall separates the patio from the street, accessible through an impressive door crowned by an angel holding the coat of arms of the Contarini family. 



Divided among the heirs after Contarini's death, the Ca' d'Oro passed from hand to hand, suffering damage. At the end of the 19th century it was restored by Giovanni Meduna, who arbitrarily added architectural elements.

Baron Giorgio Franchetti purchased the palace in 1894, and removed the parts added by Meduna. He then proceeded to have the palace's 15th century appearance restored as faithfully as possible. In addition, Franchetti replaced the entrance floor with beautiful mosaic similar to the ones at Saint Mark's Basilica. He also added red and white marble to the walls.



When purchasing the Ca d'Oro, Baron Franchetti had in mind to create a museum to make his important collection of art works as well as the architectural beauty of the palazzo accessible to the public.

At the beginning of the First World War, Count Franchetti found himself in economic difficulties and decided to donate the Ca d'Oro and his collection to the Italian state. From then on, the state supported him in the commitment, adding other works of art to the Franchetti collection, and offering him officials to collaborate with.

Gravely ill, Baron Franchetti took his own life in December 1922, five years before the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti was finally opened to the public on the anniversary of his birthday, January 18, 1927. The ashes of the philanthropist repose in the Ca d'Oro courtyard.

The Franchetti collection contains paintings mainly from Tuscany and central Italy, as well as important Venetian and Flemish work. In addition the museum displays sculptures, carpets, tapestries, and furniture, which were rescued from churches destroyed during the fall of the Republic of Venice. Some of the exhibited works also stem from destroyed monuments, and there are bronzes and medals from an ancient collection from Padua, as well as paintings, frescoes, and a collection of Flemish paintings and terracotta models coming from the warehouse of the Accademia Galleries.

More recently, thousands of ceramics recovered from the Venetian lagoon were acquired - in part purchased and in part donated by the finders.

There are also numismatic and medals collections, accessible only to professionals. These include Venetian coins from the most antique times to the end of the Republic of Venice, as well as from Byzantine, Arab, and European countries. The collections stem from donations made by Venetian nobles, and were recently enriched by the donation of the entire series of papal medals.