Villa Venier Contarini was built at the end of the 16th century on the left bank of the Brenta by the Venier family and inhabited by them for about two centuries. The complex is set in a discrete park and consists of a central body initially with a square plan, two detached guest quarters or Barchesse and an Oratory with adjoining annexes on the east side. Today, the central body is rectangular in plan because in the early 19th century it was enlarged by adding small rooms on both sides for the entire height.
The Barchessa or guest quarters on the left (west) consists of a basement floor with a vaulted ceiling, three halls decorated with frescoes with a five-bay arched porch at the front, now closed by wooden frames. The Barchessa on the right (east) consists of a hall also decorated with frescoes, stables, storerooms, and on the attic floor rooms for servants. It also has a seven-bay porch, now closed partly by window frames and partly (last two arches) by masonry. The Oratory that currently exists at the south-east corner of the property was rebuilt in 1752.
Duration of the visit: about 45 minutes
