The "Fondaco dei Turchi"

Facing the Grand Canal it was built on the first half of the XIII century by a noble family from Pesaro and lately sold to the Republic in 1381 and then gifted to the Marquis of Ferrara.

Because of a war it was confiscated in 1482 and again in 1509. It was then assigned to Pope Julius II, that destined it to the Apostolic Site.
It returned to the Estensi in 1527 and was successively sold by Cesare D’Este to Cardinal Aldobrandini in 1602. Aldobrandini lately sold it to the noble Antonio Priuli, whom, after becoming Doge, gave it to a family of Turkish merchants as warehouse for their goods in 1621.

It has been extensively used by Turkish also after the fall of The Republic, until 1838, when a certain businessman, mr. Busetto so called "Petich", bought it from Count Leonardo Manin (legatee of Piero Pesaro that eventually got it back as a dowry through the marriage of a member of Priuli’s Family).

In 1860 the Venetian City Hall got the palace, and a controversial restoration in 1869 took place. This modified substantially the building with the reconstruction of two lateral tower that were demolished due to a law issued by the Senate.

Since 1880 it is the site of the Museum of natural History

Information:
Address: Santa Croce 1730 – Fondaco dei Turchi
Open on Sat and Sun from 10 to 4 pm
Free access
Available: laboratory, library, didactic program (on request)
Accessible.