Palazzo Civran

Palazzo Civran is a palace in Venice, located in the Cannaregio district (sestiere), overlooking the Grand Canal, not far from Fontego dei Tedeschi and the Rialto Bridge.

SHORT HISTORY

The Civran family owned the palace since the 14th century, when it was built in Gothic style. At the beginning of the 18th century, the palace was rebuilt by the architect Giorgio Massari.

In the 19th century, the palace was the property of Isacco Pesaro Maurogonato, the finance minister in the Italian government of Daniele Manin. Currently, Palazzo Civran is a state-owned building, and is the seat of Guardia di Finanza.

ARCHITECTURE

The current appearance of the palace is the result of the last major restoration that took place in the first half of the 18th century, when the building was renovated in Late Renaissance style.

The ground floor is built from ashlar blocks, having in the center a water portal with a round arch and a keystone with an anthropomorphic head. The mezzanine consists of four windows with small balconies, each one with a iron railing.

The main floor has a central single-lancet window similar to the water portal below, and two pairs of lateral single-lancet windows, all joined by a single continuous balcony. The second floor is formed by five equal single-lancet windows. All the windows of the first and second floors, except the central one of the piano nobile, are surmounted by triangular tympanums.

HOW TO GET THERE

The closest vaporetto stop is Rialto, located about 230 meters away, on the waterbus Lines 1 and 2, but the best point to admire the palace is on the other bank of the Canal Grande, from the small square of Campo Erberia.