Ca d Oro Venice

Venice's finest Gothic palace on the Grand Canal — now the Franchetti Gallery with Mantegna and Titian.

The Ca d Oro — "Golden House" in Venetian — is one of the finest Gothic palaces on the Grand Canal in Venice. Built between 1421 and 1440 for the patrician Marino Contarini, its facade was originally decorated with ultramarine, vermilion, and real gold leaf, earning its name. Today the restored palace houses the Galleria Giorgio Franchetti, displaying medieval sculptures alongside Renaissance paintings by Mantegna and Titian. The loggia of the palace offers a front-row seat to the continuous movement of the Grand Canal.