Palazzo Vertemate Franchi
16th-century residence in the Valchiavenna, converted into a house museum, with frescoed rooms, carved wooden ceilings and a garden with vineyard; visitable only with a guide.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The palazzo was built in the second half of the 16th century by the brothers Guglielmo and Luigi Vertemate Franchi, members of a wealthy family of merchants. It stands in Prosto, about two kilometres from Chiavenna, and is the only building left standing after the landslide of 1618 that destroyed the village of Piuro. The exterior is sober, while the interior contains frescoes inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses and refined carved and inlaid wooden ceilings.
After the family died out in 1879, the property declined and the furnishings were dispersed. In 1902 the Milanese antiques dealer Napoleone Brianzi bought it, restored it and refurnished it with period pieces. From 1937 it passed to A. Feltrinelli and L. Bonomi, who maintained and enriched it. In 1985 it was bequeathed to the municipality of Chiavenna, which has managed it as a house museum since 1988 and has restored its wooden works, paintings and furnishings.
The route covers the rooms on the ground floor, such as the Room of Jupiter and Mercury and the stüa (traditional wood-panelled room) of Juno, the rooms on the upper floors with ceilings that differ from one another, the Zodiac room and the Bishop’s room. Since 1995 the museum has also extended to the Italian-style garden with fishpond, the kitchen garden, the orchard, the vineyard and the chestnut grove.
Highlights
- Frescoes inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses
- Stüe (wood-panelled rooms) and carved and inlaid wooden ceilings
- Zodiac room and the Bishop’s room
- Italian-style garden with fishpond, vineyard and chestnut grove
- Paintings of Piuro before and after the 1618 landslide
Permanent exhibition
- Casa museo Vertemate Franchi – Route through the frescoed rooms and stüe of the 16th-century palazzo, with period furnishings and a historic garden.
- Founded
- 1988
- Operated by
- Comune di Chiavenna
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8students, organised groups with a private guide, over 60s, FAI, TCI and Museo Bagatti Valsecchi members |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 5 · Free up to age 6; with the Card Viviparchi, free entry up to age 13 (maximum two children) when accompanied by an adult with a standard ticket. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities. |
| School groups with a private guide | €5By booking. |
| Biglietto Unico Museale della Valchiavenna (BUM) | €10Valid for one year; covers seven museums and sites in the valley, including the palazzo. |
Admission is also free for journalists registered with the Ordine dei Giornalisti, with a valid card. Reductions are available for holders of the MondoParchi FamilyCard.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Weddings / ceremonies
The palazzo is available for weddings and private parties; there is a reception hall with catering service.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits are always guided and run hourly; booking is strongly recommended at the Consorzio Turistico Valchiavenna (Piazza Caduti per la Libertà 3, Chiavenna). For groups of more than 15 people, a visit with a private guide is mandatory. |
