(Venice) The immense Palace of the Old Procuraties, which borders the mythical Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, overlooking elegant colonnades, opened its doors to the public on Friday for the first time in 500 years of history, at the end of colossal renovations.
Posted at 10:32
Silent witness to the centuries crossed by the Serenissima, this former high place of Venetian power is ready to reveal its secrets to the visitor, invited to rush into a row of arcades surrounded by wooden beams and brick walls.
For the first three days of opening, the visit is reserved for Venetians only, of whom 3,000 responded in 72 hours, before expanding from April 13 to tourists from all over the world.
Project manager for this transformation of an area of 12,000 m2the internationally renowned English architect David Chipperfield was commissioned by the Italian insurer Generali, owner of the palazzo, to breathe new life into this iconic building.
“St Mark’s Square is among the most famous in the world, but none of us have ever imagined what lies behind these facades built by several architects over a hundred years,” Mr Chipperfield told the AFP.
Built in the 12th century, the Procuratie Vecchie were devastated by a fire in 1512. The Venetian-Byzantine building was replaced in 1538 by a three-storey structure, in the classic style of the Italian Renaissance.
winged lion
Photo TIZIANA FABI, Agence France-Presse
The English architect David Chipperfield was commissioned by the Italian insurer Generali, owner of the palazzo, to breathe new life into this iconic building.
Until the fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797, the procurators, high magistrates who assisted the Doge, in charge of the city’s treasury but also of social affairs, worked there while occupying free accommodation there.
Under the roof of the building now extend the spacious premises of The Human Safety Net, a foundation launched by Generali to help the most vulnerable people, including refugees, as well as exhibition rooms and an auditorium.
“The procurators looked after widows, orphans and the poor. For us, it is a beautiful tribute to the history and identity of this building to have The Human Safety Net there, which works for social inclusion, ”explained its director Emma Ursich.
To the left of the main entrance, the winged lion of Saint Mark, symbol of the city but also the emblem of Generali, is encrusted in the white marble wall. A plaque commemorates the birth in 1831 in Trieste of the insurer, which took up residence in Venice the following year.
“The building had been abused for a very long time, decorations were removed, stairs, elevators and bathrooms added, in a very disorderly way. Our responsibility was to restore some integrity to it,” says Chipperfield.
The construction site will have lasted three years, after a 24-month design phase aimed at preserving the existing structures as much as possible.
On the first floor, where Generali still has some offices after transferring its Italian headquarters to the vicinity of Venice in 1990, to Mogliano Veneto, the frescoes and wall paintings have been completely restored to restore their shine.
Sisi’s house
“It’s no secret that working with the administration in Italy is quite complicated”, quips David Chipperfield. Planting the slightest nail in a historic building requires countless permits.
As for the craftsmen, “you can find yourself with the best in the world”, because there is a long tradition in Italy, “they have been restoring buildings for a thousand years”.
“It was essential to collaborate with local craftsmen and suppliers, using techniques and materials that are part of the Venetian tradition,” explains Cristiano Billia, associate director of David Chipperfield Architects Milan.
Thus, for the floors, walls or ceilings, pastellone, a natural product based on lime, terrazzo, made up of a mixture of colored marble fragments and cement, or even marmorino, a finishing coating have been used. satin effect.
Just opposite, on the other side of the square, stand the New Procuratories, whose construction was completed in 1640 and which in the mid-19th century housed illustrious members of the Habsburg dynasty such as Empress Sissi, during Austrian rule over Venice.
His home overlooked the very secret Royal Gardens along the Grand Canal, themselves reopened to the public in 2019 after five years of restoration.