Your Chance to Live in a Grand Venetian Palace

A historic mansion overlooking Venice’s Grand Canal is up for sale.

Palazzo Dario on the Grand Canal | Christie's

The Palazzo Dario, commissioned by Venetian official Giovanni Dario in the 15th century, is up for an undisclosed price via Christie's - however it is rumoured to be around $20 million and, since the palazzo is in a rather shabby state, is going to cost the new owner many millions more to renovate. But we can all at least dream of owning such an "architectural gem" in La Serenissima.

Palazzo Dario spans 11,000 square feet over four floors. The ground floor, which can be accessed from both the street and the canal, boasts large columns, a fireplace and a marble staircase. A fountain, Venetian fabrics and antique chandeliers decorate the first and second floors, while the third features bedrooms and a terrace. Though Palazzo Dario’s interior was renovated in the 19th century, its original exterior remains largely intact.

According to Artnet, Dario was a diplomat, a merchant and the secretary of the Venetian Senate. In the late 15th century, the nobleman returned to Venice after negotiating a peace agreement with the Ottoman Empire and the city rewarded Dario for his success, and he used the funds to commission a new house. And, clearly not short on self-confidence, he arranged for the palace’s facade to be marked with the inscription “VRBIS GENIO JOANNES DARIVS,” or “Giovanni Dario, the Genius of the City.”

Click to enlarge | Images courtesy of Christie's International Real Estate

Centuries later, John Ruskin wrote about Palazzo Dario in his 1853 book The Stones of Venice and American author Henry James also praised the mansion in his 1909 book of travel essays, Italian Hours, saying: “The Dario is covered with the loveliest little marble plates and sculptured circles.”

The property is available through Christie's International Real Estate.