Palazzo Barbarigo

It was originally built in the 16th century. It is distinguished by its mosaics of Murano glass applied in 1886. At the time it was owned by the proprietors of one of the glass factories, who were inspired by the exterior mosaics on the facade of St Mark's Basilica to apply those to the palace.

The palazzo follows the Renaissance pattern of design on three floors: an open loggia gives access to the canal surmounted by a piano nobile with open loggias and decorated columns, with a "secondo piano nobile" (secondary floor) above. The comparatively modern mosaics probably cover original windows, and obliviate the original design.

When the mosaics were executed, the then new owners were decried by their more aristocratic neighbours as nouveaux riches, and their taste garish and out of keeping with the genteel decay of the neighbouring buildings. However, it should be remembered that many of the Renaissance palazzi on the canal were once too covered in polychrome and gilt decorations, with elaborate plaster and stucco work.

In the 1920s Palazzo Barbarigo was the headquarters of Pauly & C. - Compagnia Venezia Murano, the oldest of actually brands of venetian glass factory. Pauly was founded in 1866. Part of the Palazzo Barbarigo is today a showroom and shop of Murano glass.

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• Satellite image from Google Maps (on the south bank of the Grand Canal, just to the right of the wide north-south canal)