What is there
to see?

It’s not entirely clear what to expect from the Ca’ d’Oro, as the official website provides only limited insight… but the highlight of the collection is undoubtedly Andrea Mantegna’s “San Sebastiano“, for which a dedicated chapel was built.

The museum also houses Renaissance sculptures and bronze works. On the second floor you’ll find a painting by Titian (Venere allo Specchio), as well as international works such as Jan van Eyck’s Crucifixion and Van Dyck’s Portrait of Marcello Durazzo. In addition, the collection includes decorative arts, textiles, and architectural elements of the palace itself, which serve as historical witnesses to its former splendour.

Ca’ d’Oro
A bit of History

The Ca’ d’Oro – the “Golden House” – owes its name to the once lavishly decorated façade. The marble was originally painted ultramarine blue, gilded, and shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight… it must have been an extraordinary sight. Even without this original ornamentation, the palace remains a true architectural gem.

Built between 1421 and 1442, and incorporating parts of an earlier structure, it was commissioned by Marino Contarini, Procurator of St Mark’s. The architect was Bartolomeo Buon.

The palace became an iconic example of 15th-century Venetian Gothic, also known as “flaming Gothic”, where simple arches were decorated to their utmost. Not everyone appreciated the exuberance, though, which is why the ground-floor arches are noticeably simpler.

Over the centuries, the Ca’ d’Oro passed through several owners and, under some of them, suffered neglect and alterations.

A turning point came in 1895, when Baron Giorgio Franchetti—brother of the composer Alberto Franchetti—purchased the palace. He painstakingly restored it and installed his own art collection.

In 1915, Baron Franchetti donated both the building and his collection to the Italian state. After his death, the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti alla Ca’ d’Oro was formally established in 1927.