Palazzo Surian Bellotto, Baroque palace in Cannaregio, Venice, Italy
Palazzo Surian Bellotto is a Baroque building in Cannaregio with a stone facade featuring arched doorways and decorative stone carvings. The ground floor hosts a restaurant and music venue, while the upper stories remain occupied as residences with windows showing traditional Venetian architectural details.
The building was constructed in the 17th century for the Armenian-origin Surian family, designed by architect Giuseppe Sardi. The Bellotto family later took ownership and left their mark on the palace during Venice's prosperous merchant era.
The palace name comes from two merchant families who owned it over time: the Surians and later the Belottos, both influential in Venice's trade. Walking through the ground floor today, you can sense how such homes served as both residences and centers of business activity.
The ground floor is easily accessible as the restaurant and music venue are open to visitors. The upper floors remain private residential spaces and are not open to the public.
Philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau stayed in the palace during 1743 and 1744 while working as secretary to the French ambassador. This period in Venice proved formative for his thinking and later writings on society.
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