PALAZZO VENIER
DE'LEONI
(Guggenheim Collection)

Building should have characterized with its magnificence the last part of Gran Canal: these were at least the purposes of the first owner who built it in the eighteenth century. The building joins Gran Canal with the channel on the rear part with two wings closing a rectangular courtyard in wich should have hosted wild animals (this explains the name of the building: leoni means lions!). Actually only the ground floor facing the Gran Canal was built using a white stone called "Pietra d'Istria": on the rear side there's the garden.

Building was bought in this century by american collector Peggy Guggenheim, and became soon one of the most important place for contemporary works.
Exhibiting masterpieces by Kandinsky, Pollock, Ernst, Chagall, Dalì and many others.