Palazzi

Until the 16th century, Venetians preferred to call their palaces casa or ca' no matter how grandiose, reserving the word palazzo only for the residences of the doge and patriarch. Today the names are often used interchangeably.

To add to the confusion, some houses have several names, in a chain of former owners (although three names seems to be the maximum allowed). Often palazzi with the same name family name have a geographical suffix to tell them apart. Or not.

Unlike most Italian cities, Venice had no native stone, but also, unlike most Italian cities in the Middle Ages, Venetian nobles didn't have to build themselves castles and towers to protect themselves from each other or their fellow citizens. All merchant vessels were expected to bring back stone with them as ballast.

White Istrian limestone, polished to look like marble, adorns the grander facades; other walls are generally made of brick, faced with a thin veneer of marble or stucco.