Fondaco dei Tedeschi Venice

Old space, new face

Stacy from Venice

""Fondaco dei Tedeschi" is a historic Venice building repurposed as a shopping mecca. Controversial among the locals, it does have a truly spectacular view!"

An old space with a new face, Fontego dei Tedeschi as it's called in Venetian. "La Posta", the "Germans' Palace" or to me, the spot my husband and I starred in a student art film!

Architect Rem Koolhaas and his team have re-purposed this historic 13th century building into a Venetian high-end, high-security, luxury shopping mecca. Controversial among locals as they moved the building's cistern, off center.

Currently called: T Fondaco. A short, tight title for today's abbreviation-obsessed society. Fondaco defines the building's original purpose as a trading post, a warehouse for German merchants. Now run by Duty Free Shoppers or more commonly known by their abbreviation, DFS.

Renaissance in style, architecturally the building glows red and gold. Four floors facing upon an interior courtyard overlooking the world's most fashionably famous canal. Neighboring the Rialto Bridge, an original market space for Venetian commerce, rings apropos to this building's contemporary use.

Once frescoed by local artists such as Titian and Giorgione. Today's palace has a top floor exhibition space to showcase contemporary artist works.

This spot's highlight sits upstairs overlooking the city. Skip the shopping, avoid being doused in perfume and climb the steep stairs to the roof. Feel the weight and strength of this building as you go. A bird's eye perspective of a terracotta cityscape. Below, ripples of water splash along the building's foundation in this heavily trafficked area. The city's center silenced by the distance between sky and water.

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Venice Spotter Stacy

About me I am an American artist creating in Venice, Italy. I’ve been having a passionate love affair with this city for more than twenty years! A full-time painter, writer and terrace gardener, I embrace life like a rambling art project in process. I hold a graduate degree in Art from New York University. Why Venice The mystery, history and gritty elegance of this decaying, floating world has me entangled, inspired and often longing for the past. Venice is a unique spot at the center of the cultural world. Nearly everyone has visited or plans to visit; I decided to s...

About this spot

Calle del Fontego

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0413142000

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Oct 9, 2025

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