Ca' d'Oro

Lonely Planet review

This magnificent 15th-century Gothic structure got its name (Golden House) from the gilding that once decorated the facade. The building now houses the Galleria Franchetti, an impressive collection of bronzes, tapestries and paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries. A big incentive for visiting is the panorama from the balconies over the Grand Canal.

The 1st floor of the museum is devoted mainly to religious painting, sculpture and bronzes. One of the first items you see is a polyptych recounting the martyrdom of St Bartholomew. Take a closer look at the detail. The violence is quite remarkable, as is the saintly indifference with which Bartholomew seems to accept his torment! Much of what you see on this floor is Venetian, but one room has been set aside principally for Tuscan art.

On the 2nd floor you can see a series of fragments of frescoes from the outside of the Fondaco dei Tedeschi, an important German trading house that is now home to the central post office. All are by Titian except one - an exceptional nude by Giorgione. Also on this floor is a mixed collection, including works by Tintoretto, Titian, Carpaccio, Mantegna, Vivarini, Signorelli and van Eyck.