Tucked away in the quiet parish of San Giovanni in Bragora, Corte Bollani preserves an authentic Venetian urban setting complete with an Istrian stone wellhead, a Renaissance relief of Saint George, and the carved portal of Palazzo Bollani Erizzo.
At a glance
A secluded residential courtyard in the Castello sestiere, Corte Bollani takes its name from the Bollani family, an ancient patrician Venetian house enrolled in the Golden Book of the Republic. The courtyard forms a quiet enclosed oasis off the busy pedestrian routes leading from San Zaccaria to the Arsenale. Surrounding the stone-flagged court are residential facades of Gothic and Renaissance origin, culminating in the monumental portal of Palazzo Bollani Erizzo.
Key facts
- Location: Corte Bollani, Sestiere di Castello, Venice
- Civic numbers: Castello 3644 to 3648 (Palazzo Bollani Erizzo at civico 3647)
- Notable features: Cylindrical Istrian stone wellhead, Renaissance relief of Saint George and the Dragon, Gothic double-lancet window (bifora), carved portal with heraldic emblems and bronze knocker
- Family: Bollani, patrician Venetian family established here from the 16th century
- GPS: 45.43503, 12.34545 · Open in Google Maps
History
The Bollani family was one of the noble houses of the Republic of Venice, rising to civic prominence from the fourteenth century onwards. Among its most distinguished members was Domenico Bollani (1514–1579), who served the Republic as ambassador to England and France before taking Holy Orders and becoming Bishop of Brescia, playing a major role in implementing the decrees of the Council of Trent.
In Castello, close to the Church of San Giovanni in Bragora and the Rio della Pietà, the family established a residential complex centered around Corte Bollani. In the seventeenth century, through marriage, the estate passed to the Erizzo family, another venerable patrician dynasty that gave Venice Doge Francesco Erizzo (reigned 1631–1646). The palace portal at civico 3647 reflects this combined patrician heritage with its sculpted crests and classical stone dressings.
What you see
Entering Corte Bollani, the courtyard opens up as an intimate paved square (masegni) centered around an ancient Istrian stone wellhead (vera da pozzo) of cylindrical design with corner leaf spurs. On the reddish brick and plaster walls, several sculptural details stand out:
Above civico 3646, a fine Renaissance bas-relief depicts Saint George on horseback slaying the dragon, his spear poised above the coiled beast against a walled castle tower background. Higher on the facade, a Gothic bifora window with slender marble columns and pointed trefoil arches overlooks the square.
At civico 3647, the main portal of Palazzo Bollani Erizzo features an elaborate classical Istrian stone surround carved with delicate Renaissance foliate rinceaux, egg-and-dart molding, and a dentiled cornice. Set within this frame, the monumental wooden door is decorated with relief panels depicting jousting helmets, shields, swords, and a central winged cherub. Hanging from the door panels are heavy patinated bronze door knockers (battacchi) cast with mythological figures of tritons, curling dolphins, and a grotesque lion mask.
Practical information
- Open public courtyard, accessible at all hours, free
- Residential area: quiet respect is appreciated when visiting
- Estimated visit time: 5 to 10 minutes
Getting there
From the San Zaccaria vaporetto stop (lines 1, 2, 4.1, 4.2), walk east along Riva degli Schiavoni, turn into Calle del Dose and follow north toward Corte Bollani (about a 5-minute walk). It can also be reached in 5 minutes from the Arsenale vaporetto stop.
Nearby
- The Church of San Giovanni in Bragora, 2 minutes west
- The Scuola Dalmata dei Santi Giorgio e Trifone (San Giorgio degli Schiavoni), 3 minutes north
- The Church of the Pietà (Santa Maria della Visitazione), 3 minutes south on Riva degli Schiavoni
- Campo Bandiera e Moro, 2 minutes south
Sources
- Conoscere Venezia, Corte Bollani a San Giovanni in Bragora — conoscerevenezia.it: the Bollani family history, the cylindrical wellhead with square cornice, and the Renaissance portal of Palazzo Bollani Erizzo at civico 3647
- Inventario delle Sculture Esterne di Venezia, Rilievo di San Giorgio e il drago a Castello 3646
- Historical records of the Bollani and Erizzo patrician dynasties in Venice
- Coordinates verified from photograph EXIF and cross-checked against OpenStreetMap (Corte Bollani, Castello, Venice)
Photo gallery
Photographs contributed by a Cultural Heritage Online member.
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See this place and what’s around it →Record researched and written by Carla Szathvary for Cultural Heritage Online, 2026.
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