Palazzo Giustinian

The Palazzo Giustinian in Venice's Dorsoduro sestiere is one of the outstanding examples of Venetian late Gothic architecture. The complex, made up of two originally separate palaces, was built in the second half of the 15th century for the noble Giustinian family. Today the right wing, the Ca' Giustinian dei Vescovi, houses parts of Ca' Foscari University, while the left wing, the Ca' Giustinian dalle Zogie, is owned by the Brandolini d'Adda family. The facade stretches 44 meters (about 144 feet) and, thanks to its symmetrical alignment along a central axis, looks like a single compact whole, although the underlying structure of two separate buildings is still discernible.

Architecturally, the palace stands out for its richly ornamented facade, which shares many elements with neighboring Ca' Foscari. Eye-catching features include the large multi-light windows, especially the six-light window on the second main floor, which is characterized by quatrefoil arches. The individual windows are decorated with ogee arches or trefoil arches, as well as elaborate openwork with hanging capitals, some of them featuring angel heads. The building's corners are adorned with a sawtooth pattern in Istrian limestone, which gives the structure a distinctive unity. Inside the left wing, you'll find a large reception salon with stucco work and a ceiling fresco, while the right wing displays the coats of arms of the former owners in gilded frames.

The palace also has a rich cultural history. In the 19th century, the composer Richard Wagner lived here for seven months and wrote the second act of his opera Tristan and Isolde during his stay. Other well-known residents included the American writer William Dean Howells, who served as consul in Venice, and the Hungarian violinist Franz von Vecsey. Behind the palace lies a garden with a grove of trees, one of the few of its kind in the city. The inner courtyards of the two wings are marked by medieval-style battlements and lead to differently designed back courtyards, characterized by columns and Gothic elements.