Scala Contarini del Bovolo
Late Gothic palace in Venice with the Renaissance spiral staircase of 1499 and a panoramic belvedere terrace over the city.
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About the museum
The palace was built as a house-fondaco in the late Gothic style. The first part dates back to 1300, and it was chosen as the family residence by the Contarini of the San Paternian branch, thanks to its position equidistant from Rialto, the centre of trade, and from St Mark's, the centre of political power.
In 1499 Pietro Contarini had the spiral staircase built – in Venetian, “bovolo” (snail) – to embellish the side of the palace, already decorated with frescoes of floral motifs, of which some fragments survive. The author remains uncertain: some historians think of the master mason Giovanni Candi, others of the architect Giorgio Spavento. The staircase develops in a cylindrical tower 26 metres high, of Istrian stone and exposed brick, pierced by arcades and connected to the palace by loggias. Its eighty monolithic steps climb anticlockwise to the belvedere terrace.
Over the centuries the palace had many owners. In the 19th century it was an inn, and the German astronomer Tempel stayed there; he discovered a comet and the Merope Nebula. In 1849 the owner gave it to the Fraterna dei Poveri di San Luca; from 1880 it was the seat of the Congregazione di Carità and then of the I.P.A.V., the current owner, which uses it as an administrative office.
Highlights
- Spiral staircase of 1499, 26 metres high
- Eighty monolithic steps in Istrian stone
- Belvedere terrace with views over Venice
- Loggias connecting the staircase to the palace
- Fragments of the floral frescoes on the façade
- Operated by
- Fondazione Venezia Servizi alla Persona
- Visitors per year
- approx. 106,402
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7young people aged 12 to 26 inclusive, people aged 65 and over inclusive, FAI members, Touring Club Italiano and TGS Eurogroup members |
| Children & teens | €7free up to age 11 · Young people aged 12 to 26; free for under-12s. |
| Seniors | €7People aged 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and a companion. |
| Groups | –For groups of more than 10 people booking is mandatory (booking@fondazioneveneziaservizi.it). |
| Ticket for private photo shoot and Carnival masks | €15Not available online |
Free admission also for licensed tour guides, residents of the Comune di Venezia, and employees of IPAV and Fondazione Venezia Servizi alla Persona. Those entitled to free admission who wish to reserve a date and time online pay a €1 advance sales fee. If the exhibition rooms are closed, the single admission ticket costs €7. Online booking is recommended but not compulsory.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Photography | Private photo shoots and the use of Carnival masks require a special ticket costing €15. |
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| Good to know | For groups of more than 10 people, booking is mandatory. |
