Ca’ Rezzonico: A Total Immersion into the Splendor of 18th-Century Venice

Ca’ Rezzonico – Museum of 18th-Century Venice is not just a museum, but a true time machine that transports visitors to the heart of an age of splendor, art, and intricate elegance — the Venetian Settecento. Housed in one of the most magnificent Baroque palaces overlooking the Grand Canal, it stands as the ultimate symbol of 18th-century art and life in Venice. Its grandeur, history, and collections offer a unique glimpse into the existence of a nobility that thrived amid lavish festivities, intrigue, and the twilight of a great republic.

The History of a Palace and a Family

The palace was commissioned in 1649 by the noble Bon family, who entrusted the project to Baldassare Longhena, one of the great masters of Venetian Baroque architecture. Its monumental façade on the Grand Canal combines the majesty of Baroque design with the refined lightness of Venetian taste. Due to financial difficulties, the Bon family never completed the palace, which was purchased in 1751 by the wealthy merchant family Rezzonico. Architect and painter Giorgio Massari oversaw its completion, and during this period, the building reached its peak of opulence, adorned with sumptuous frescoes and decorations. Over the centuries, the palace changed ownership several times until it was acquired by the City of Venice in 1905, when it was transformed into a museum.

The Collections: A Complete Journey into the 18th Century

The exhibition spans the palace’s three floors, providing a fully immersive experience thanks to original frescoes, floors, furnishings, and magnificent Murano glass chandeliers, all preserved in situ.

• Ground and Main Floor: The tour begins with the grand staircase leading to the spectacular Ballroom, the largest and most impressive hall in the palace, featuring frescoes that create breathtaking illusions of space. In this hall and others on the main floor, visitors can admire masterpieces by Giambattista Tiepolo, Giambattista Pittoni, and Francesco Guardi. Tiepolo’s ceiling frescoes, such as The Allegory of Marriage, celebrate the wealth and prestige of the Rezzonico family, while Guardi’s paintings capture the city’s landscapes and daily life with poetic sensitivity.
• Second Floor: Dedicated mainly to painting and decorative arts, this floor features the charming genre scenes of Pietro Longhi, which depict with wit and realism the daily life of Venice’s bourgeoisie and nobility — their salons, amusements, and masked encounters. Another section focuses on vedutismo (cityscape painting), displaying works from Canaletto to Guardi, highlighting the evolution of this quintessentially Venetian art form.
• Third Floor: Here visitors will find the Pharmacy “Ai Do San Marchi”, a faithful reconstruction of an 18th-century Venetian pharmacy, complete with ceramic vases and period furniture. This floor also houses the Museum of Dolls, with a collection of antique toys and historical costumes.

Visitor Information

• Address: Dorsoduro 3136, Venice, Italy
• Contacts:
  • Phone: +39 041 2410100
  • Website: carezzonico.visitmuve.it
• Opening Hours:
  • April 1 – October 31: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00)
  • November 1 – March 31: 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00)

• Tickets:

  • Full: €10.00
  • Reduced: €7.50

   

Cover photo credits: Didier Descouens, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0