Ca' Zenobio degli Armeni
The Ca' Zenobio degli Armeni (Palazzo Zenobio, Ca' Zenobio) is a three-story Baroque-style palace structure in the sestiere of Dorsoduro, in Venice, Italy.[1][2] The nearby bridge, Ponte del Soccorso, connects it to the Palazzo Ariani.
Ca' Zenobio degli Armeni, façade | |
Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| Established | 1690 |
|---|---|
| Location | Venice, Veneto |
| Coordinates | 45°26′01″N 12°19′15″E / 45.4336°N 12.3208°E |
| Type | Historic site |
| Architect | Antonio Gaspari |
| Website | palazzo-zenobio |
History edit
Constructed on the foundations of the 14th-century gothic Palazzo Morosini, belonging to the Morosini family, the property was acquired by Zenobio family on April 14, 1664. Verità Zenobio and her younger brother Pietro, commissioned Antonio Gaspari, a pupil of Baldassare Longhena, to redesign the palace. In 1690, the construction of the new palace was completed. In 1777, neoclassical architect Tommaso Temanza designed the archive and library, located at the southern end of the palace’s gardens.[3] The Zenobio family retained possession of the palace til the mid 19th century.[4][5]
In 1844, the palace was sold to Count Salvi from Vincenza, who undertook a renovation of the palace. Among the renovations was in 1848-49, landscape architect, Antonio Caregaro Negrin created a new garden in the romantic style, with two hills and a small bridge, which still exists today.[5]
Moorat-Raphael College (1851-1997) edit
In 1850 it became the home of the College of the Armenian monks of the Mekhitarist order who had a monastery on the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni near Venice.
Initially, two separate colleges were founded in Padua (in 1834) and Venice (in 1836, in Ca' Pesaro) with the contributions of two wealthy Armenians from India, Samuel Mkrtich Moorat and Edward Raphael. These colleges merged in 1871 to form the Collegio Armeno Moorat-Raphael (Մուրադ-Ռափայելյան վարժարան). The College served as a boarding school for Armenian students from 1851 to 1997.
The palace was renovated for the college's needs, with the addition of classrooms, dormitories, kitchen and refectory. Throughout the college's operation, limited maintenance was undertaken due to insufficient student fees, relying on benefactors.[5]
Thanks to the legacy of Moorat and Raphael, many students attended the boarding school for free.[5]
In 1997, there were still 52 students in four classes of senior high school. However, the administration decided to close the College since it was no longer sustainable. Students came from seven different countries and lessons were taught in Italian, Armenian, English and French.[5]
The College still exists as an association and remains a non-profit organisation. The palace is often rented for events, wedding receptions, and exhibitions during the Venice Biennale.[6][7]
Notable alumni edit
Notable alumni include:
- Mkrtich Achemian – poet
- Kurken Alemshah – composer and conductor
- Arpiar Arpiarian – writer and political activist
- Arman Babajanyan – politician[8]
- Ara Baliozian – author, translator and critic
- Arsen Chabanian – painter
- Edgar Chahine – painter
- Mihran Damadian – freedom fighter, political activist, writer and teacher
- Léon Gurekian – architect, writer and political activist
- Ohannés Gurekian – architect, engineer and alpinist
- Marco Khan – actor and stuntman
- Edgar Manas – composer
- Vahram Papazian – actor[9]
- Tovmas Terzian – poet, playwright and professor
- Daniel Varoujan – poet[10]
- Yervant Voskan – sculptor and teacher
Architecture edit
Originally positioned on the third floor arched gable of the façade, the stone coat of arms of the Zenobio family has since been relocated to the internal garden of the palace.[5]
The portego of the palace features three veduta and two etchings by Luca Carlevarijis.[5]
The Hall of Mirrors, or Sala degli Specchi, is a grand ballroom extending over two floors and facing onto the first-floor balcony. The ballroom and adjacent rooms feature frescoes decorated by Ludovico Dorigny, Gregorio Lazzarini, and a young Giovanni Battista Tiepolo,[11][12] complemented by the stucco work of Abbondio Stazio. The panels depict mythologic scenes and the life of Queen Zenobia of the 3rd-century Palmyrene Empire, a putative ancestor of the Zenobio family.
Dorigny’s ceiling composition, Allegory of the Dawn (Aurora),[13] features a quadratura framed by pilaster enriched with foliage and animated with male and female figures incarnating the Sciences and the Arts. In the center is a winged female figure representing Aurora, welcoming Apollo driving his four-horse sun chariot. Above, two putti in flight hold a torch and a bowl of dew, symbolising the dawn.[5]
In popular culture edit
The music video for Madonna's 1984 song "Like A Virgin" was filmed in the Hall of Mirrors, as well as for Laura Pausini's 2005 song "Vivimi".[14][15]
The Italian film Viaggi di nozze, directed by Carlo Verdone, features a scene in front of the palace where Raniero and the palanquins emerge with the coffin in which Fosca rests.[16]
In Season 29, Episode 7 of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race, contestants took a water taxi to Ca' Zenobio to find their next clue.[17]
Gallery edit
-
-
- Stuccoed gilt medallion depicting Apollo and Marsyas
- The Hall of Mirrors
-
- Seaport veduta by Luca Carlevarijs
-
-
References edit
- ^ Mulryne, J. R.; Jonge, Krista De; Martens, Pieter; Morris, R. L. M. (2017). Architectures of Festival in Early Modern Europe: Fashioning and Re-fashioning Urban and Courtly Space. Routledge. ISBN 9781317178927. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ Buckley, Jonathan (2013). The Rough Guide to Venice & the Veneto. Penguin. ISBN 9781409366508. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ "Tommaso Temanza's Garden Casino at Ca' Zenobio". Save Venice Inc. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ "Palazzo Zenobio - Collegio Armeno Moorat Raphael - turismovenezia.it". www.turismovenezia.it. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Riscica, Rossella (2011). "Feasibility Analysis of a Restoration in Venice: Case Study of Ca' Zenobio Palace" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
- ^ "Woman's Essence Venezia 2019". Musa International. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ^ "Biennale Architettura 2021" (PDF). La Biennale di Venezia. 2021. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ^ "National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia | Official Web Site | parliament.am". www.parliament.am. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ ""Shake this island": Armenian Shakespeare Association Conference". Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ Hadjian, Avedis (2015-08-01). "Worldwide weeds". Le Monde diplomatique. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ Honour, Hugh (1997). The Companion Guide to Venice. Companion Guides. p. 165. ISBN 9781900639248. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ Gawlikowski, Michał (2021). Tadmor – Palmyra: A Caravan City between East and West. Kraków: IRSA. p. 83. ISBN 978-83-89831-40-8.
- ^ Battistini, Matilde (2005). Symbols and Allegories in Art. Getty Publications. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-89236-818-1.
- ^ Gentile, Elisa (2021-03-21). "Three Music Videos Shot in Venice". Venice by Venetians. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ "Venice and the music: the best music videos shot in town | Visitvenezia.eu". Visit Venezia Official. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ "Ospitalità d'essai • The Travel News". The Travel News (in Italian). 2019-06-24. Retrieved 2024-04-24.
- ^ Ray, Lincee (2017-05-04). "'Amazing Race' Recap: Gondola Girl". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
External links edit
- Collegio Armeno Moorat-Raphael Official Website
- Collegio Armeno Moorat-Raphael on YouTube
- Celebration of the 1st Centenary of the Armenian Moorat-Raphael College in 1936
- Feasibility Analysis of a Restoration in Venice: Case Study of Ca' Zenobio Palace