The palace of the Old Procuratie, jewel of Venice, regains its splendor

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 of this transformation of an area of ​​12.000 m2, the 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. the AFP.

Built in the 1512th century, the Procuratie Vecchie were devastated by a fire in 1538. The Veneto-Byzantine building was replaced in XNUMX by a three-storey structure, in the classic style of the Italian Renaissance.

winged lion

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 great tribute to the history and identity of this building to have The Human Safety Net, 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", comments Mr. 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 smallest 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-XNUMXth 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.