CA’SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy Review – History Brought to Life

Posted on by Amy Munice with Photography by Peter Kachergis

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy Review – History Brought to Life- where Galileo wrote and many historic art works are found in nest of luxury

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
You can catch a boat to go to the airport or anywhere from this side entrance to the hotel where the terrace restaurant is. This was the original entrance to the palace

Galileo, a friend of the family, visited the palace many times and wrote some of his most famous works here…

The only surviving fresco by famed 18th Century Italian painter Longhi, Fall of the Giants, covers the ceiling and walls of the palace’s grand staircase…

 

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
The grand stairway from the lobby level to an upper level where many meeting rooms and historic suites are located
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Stairway

 

New Yorkers who think they’ve already heard of this hotel might be vaguely remembering that the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a historic preservation of one of the palace rooms...

These are just a few of the major headlines about the art collections, architecture and history of Palazzo Sagredo that you will feel as you stay there.  Though there are likely elevators closer to your room, expect to want to go out of your way to walk the grand staircase to and from the sumptuous buffet breakfast every morning, and to walk to the floor to ceiling windows in the ballroom on a second floor, to linger under the chandeliers, and more.  These are surrounds you want to slow down in- to soak it all in. 

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
The mural above the grand staircase is the only remaining fresco by famed Italian painter Pietro Longhi
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
One of the most famous guests in this historic library room was the family's friend, Galileo, who penned some of his most important manuscripts here
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
The hotel hosts conferences of all kinds in its historic ballrooms

In the acoustically perfect music room—used for everything from Tango schools to recitals today-- those of us with more prurient imaginations are also tickled by seeing how frescoes by other famous artists camouflage the secret entrance the mistresses used to make their way up to meet the Count above in his private chambers.  Now, in the lobby you can also see an old-style gondola that had a covered tent-like enclosure perfect for hanky panky, which was eventually banned by the Church for that very reason.

In its alcoves, statues, frescoes, chandeliers, furnishings, décor —Palazzo Sagredo transports you back in time—history brought to life.  If the mirror doesn’t do a reality check, you might find yourself wondering if your 17th century wig and costume are in place.  This is likely especially so for guests who stay in one of the four historic suites—often these guests are Americans with large families.

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
In the hotel lobby an old-style gondola with an enclosure is on display. The priests banned these because of the rampant use of them for clandestine romantic activities
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
If you look closely at the frescoes in this room you can see a secret entrance once used by the Count's mistresses to leave balls and go up to his private chambers
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Hallway to canal terrace and terrace from the hotel lobby
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
This elegant lounge is outside the hotel restaurant's serving area
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Sala di Sebastiano Ricci, one of the palace's historical suites
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
This elegant sitting area is part of a typical hotel room in this luxury palace
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Lorenza Lain PhD, an art historian by training, is General Manager of the hotel and a driving force in its many arts and culture projects
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
A grand foyer upstairs is outside several of the historic suites

Ca'Sagredo Hotel Is Committed to the Arts of Today Also

How interesting to learn from Ca’Sagredo Hotel’s General Manager, Lorenza Lain, how this living history hotel is also striving to be at the vanguard of Venice on the world stage today.  For one, Palazzo Sagredo plays a role in the Venice Biennale, this year, for example, providing space for  Australia during the vernissage.  Lain, or more properly Dr. Lain, as she has a doctorate in studies of contemporary Chinese Art, helps curate different artworks for the Biennale exhibited in the Palace with contemporary themes—this year climate change.  And, for those of with a more literary bent, it will be fascinating to see what their Poetry Project will create.  Five poets—American, Syrian, Chinese, Italian and Cuban—will be living in the Palace in an experiment to see how poems flow from their pens in these surrounds.

CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
A breakfast buffet is served to all hotel guests who opt to forego room service
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Note the elaborate stucco ceiling in one of the historic suites
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
Though you never see them, the staff managed to do a turn down of the beds and close the shutters every night
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
"Force of Nature", a sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn (Anthony's son) outside the hotel is visible to all on the canal
CA'SAGREDO HOTEL Venice Italy
M. Chiara Depellegrin, Reservation Manager of Ca'Sagredo Palace is one of the congenial staff ever ready to help you at the hotel, including giving tours of its historic suites and art collections

Living history, living arts, and luxury…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

For bookings and more information visit the Ca’Sagredo Hotel website.

 

Or, to help arrange a stay at this hotel, or to arrange authentic Venetian restaurants, as well as visits to the Venetian ateliers preserving traditional crafts and other Venice adventures can also be arranged via Ornella Naccari of ON-View Travel Agency, a member of the Divertimento Group.

Photos in this story are available with a CC 2.0 license.  For easy download and license information visit the Picture This Post Flickr page

Share this:
    2

Make a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *