Photo: Fontebasso, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Historic villa / palace
Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto
Building in Venice, Italy
- Within the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Venice and its Lagoon”
At a glance
- Coordinates
- 45°25′54″ N, 12°19′56″ E
- Address
- sotoportico Barbarigo, 2504, San Marco
History and description
The Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto (also called Palazzo Minotto Barbarigo) is a 15th-century palace on the Grand Canal in Venice, northern Italy, next to the much larger Palazzo Corner. Built in the Venetian Gothic style, it was originally two palaces, Palazzo Barbarigo and Palazzo Minotto, later joined together. The Barbarigo palace was owned by the Barbarigo family for several centuries and was the birthplace of Gregorio Barbarigo, who once refused the Papal Crown. It was later owned by the Minotto and Martinengo families.
Three staterooms face the Grand Canal and another three face Rio Zaguri. In the first half of the 18th century frescoes and paintings by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Francesco Fontebasso and Carpoforo Tencalla were commissioned by Pietro Barbarigo. Its chapel has Louis XIV Style elm flooring inlaid with olive-root marquetry. The palace's doors, are in the same style, banded in walnut with bronze handles shaped as vine leaves. The floors of the staterooms are a blend of terrazzo paving and Venetian "pastellone" paving.
Description
The palace is actually formed by two different buildings, merged in the 17th century. The oldest part is a 15th-century Venetian-Gothic palace featuring 12th century Byzantine-style friezes. This was originally known as the Palazzo Minotto; the newer part, Palazzo Barbarigo, was built in the 17th century.
On the occasion of Gregorio Barbarigo's marriage with Caterina Sagredo in 1739, the greatest artists of the time were called to embellish the palace in both its parts, which had been unified by then. Among these guests were; Gianbattista Tiepolo, Francesco Fontebasso, Gerolamo Mengozzi Colonna, and Carpoforo Mazzetti.
In 1741 the Ferrarese quadraturist Mengozzi Colonna painted the domestic chapel located in a recess of the building and hidden by two wooden leaves. Around it a Louis XIV-style elm floor inlaid with olive-root and other wood marquetry. The following year Mengozzi Colonna contributed the Venetian terrazzo paving to the central hall or portego.
The palace's doors are Louis XIV style, banded in walnut and with bronze handles shaped as vine leaves.
Gianbattista Tiepolo started his work here in 1741, painting the grisailles and two of the overdoor paintings that frame the central canvas, "The triumph of Virtue and Nobility over Ignorance". The original oil painting is now part of Cà Rezzonico's collection and has been replaced here with a 20th-century copy.
The whole pictorial decoration represents the cultural interests of Gregorio and Caterina, freshly married. Four grisailles represent Sciences: History, Astronomy, Geography and Astrology. The other four represent the Arts: Painting, Sculpture, Music and Poetry. The frescoes in the overdoors depict Merit and Abundance.
This whole cycle is influenced by the neoclassical trend that conquered the whole city during that period, through its ornamental motifs, ancient-looking sculptures, sarcophagi, amphorae and vases, together with the "Olympic grace" of its figures. The parlor is also known as "the room of Wisdom", since it exalts the commissioner's idea of the arts and sciences giving wealth and nobility. …
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto».
Photos
Getting there
Venezia Santa LuciaTrain, nearest
1.3 km as the crow flies
Palazzo Barbarigo Minottosotoportico Barbarigo, 2504, San Marco
Giglio100 m
Aeroporto Marco Polo di Venezia8.1 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore historic villas and palaces in Veneto
- Free 1st Sunday
- UNESCO
- UNESCO
- Free 1st Sunday
- UNESCO
Frequently asked questions
Where is Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto?
Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto is in Venice, in the province of Venezia (Veneto), Italy. Address: sotoportico Barbarigo, 2504, San Marco. GPS coordinates: 45.43176, 12.33212.
What else is there to see near Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto?
Nearby you’ll find: Palazzo Pisani Gritti (100 m away), Palazzo Zaguri (100 m away), Palazzo Dario (100 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 9 photos
- Venezia - Palazzo Minotto-Barbarigo - facciata — Fontebasso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto — Venice-life, CC BY 4.0
- Palazzo Minotto-Barbarigo e Barbarigo Canal Grande Venezia — This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ca' Minotto + Ca' Barbarigo Minotto Venedig — Freddo213, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CANAL GRANDE - palazzo Barbarigo minotti — Abxbay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Palazzo Minotto — Venice-life, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Canalegrande Venedig 2018-04-16 - 4 — Z thomas, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tiepolo — Alvise Nicoletti, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Untitled1 - panoramio (741) — Lothar John, CC BY-SA 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences