Description

Essentials about Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo in brief

Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo is a Gothic palace located in the San Marco district. It is famous for its beautiful spiral staircase, which has gone down in art history as Scala del Bovolo. The unique staircase is the photo motif of countless tourists every day. If you want to go up the stairs, you have to pay an entrance fee. But in return you get a beautiful view over Venice from the domed room at the top of the spiral staircase.

The history and architecture of Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo

Palazzo Contarini was commissioned in the late 15th century by the Contarini family. The facade overlooks the Rio di San Luca. In 1499, the then landlord Pietro Contarini decided to have the master builder Giovanni Candi build a spiral staircase in the courtyard of his palace in the new Renaissance style, in the unusual form of a series of loggias opening in ascending semicircular arches. This concept is unusually elaborate for an exterior staircase and was novel in this way at all. The staircase ends in a domed room from which there is a great view over the entire city.

Website

gioiellinascostidivenezia.it/scala-contarini-del-bovolo

Opening hours

Admission fees

Adults: €8

Seniors (Ages 65+): €6

Students (Ages 12 – 26): €6

Children (Ages 11 and under): free

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Vaporetto line 1: Stop Rialto

By car:

Inaccessible.