Palazzo Pesaro Orfei

Palazzo Pesaro Orfei is a Gothic palace situated along Campo San Beneto and Rio di Ca' Michiel in Venice. The building features two distinct facades adorned with elaborate stone carvings and pointed arches that reflect the architectural mastery of its period.

Benedetto Pesaro, a Venetian naval commander, commissioned this palace between 1460 and 1480 as his family residence. The building later shifted to artistic purposes when it was transformed into an experimental textile center in the early 20th century.

The palazzo served as the workspace of Spanish artist Mariano Fortuny, who established textile design studios here in the late 1800s. His creative process combined traditional Venetian craftsmanship with innovative production techniques that he developed within these rooms.

The palazzo is open for visits on weekdays and weekends, with different areas accessible on various levels throughout the building. It helps to check ahead whether guided tours are available in your preferred language to make the most of your visit.

Inside, original printing machines and weaving equipment from Fortuny's workshop remain on display, showing how hand-printed fabrics were created. These devices offer visitors a rare look at the practical side of artistic textile production from the early 1900s.