Palazzo Giovanelli
Palazzo Giovanelli is a palace in Venice, located in the Santa Croce district, overlooking the right side of the Grand Canal and the Rio di San Giovanni Decollato, before the Fondaco dei Turchi.
History
The palace dates back probably to the mid-15th century. The design is attributed to the architect Filippo Calendario, the designer of Palazzo Ducale. The palazzo has, nevertheless, undergone many renovations over the past centuries; it was almost completely rebuilt in 1847-48 by the architect Giovanni Battista Meduna. These interventions are visible on the side of the building facing the Rio Fosca river; they resulted in the mix of Gothic, late Renaissance, neo-Gothic style openings.Giovanni Battista Donà, a member of one of the most important Venetian families, was an initial owner. Then the building was donated by the Republic to Francesco Maria della Rovere, Duke of Urbino in 1538, who passed the ownership to the Giovannelli family as a debt payment. The Giovanellis were originally from Bergamasco and became wealthy via investing in mines in Hungary. They bought the noble title in 1668, paying the enormous sum of 100,000 ducats to the Serenissima.