First museum site of Intesa Sanpaolo, which, among the wonders of the Baroque, houses the precious collections of the eighteenth-century Veneto and Russian icons owned by the Bank... #tuttitaly
The Palazzo Leoni Montanari, a sumptuous Baroque building built in 1678 in Vicenza, is a place that houses an important museum: the Gallerie d'Italia - Palazzo Leoni Montanari. This museum hosts an extraordinary collection of Venetian paintings from the 18th century and a precious collection of ancient Russian icons.
The Leoni Montanari family, eager to establish themselves in the Vicenza nobility thanks to their involvement in the textile trade, commissioned the construction of this palace.
Its architecture stands out from the Renaissance style of Andrea Palladio, as it is built on the site where silk-spinning buildings were previously located.
During the 18th century, the palace was completed thanks to the collaboration of influential artists such as Giuseppe Alberti, Ludovico Dorigny, and Angelo Molinari.
In 1808, Count Girolamo Egidio Velo inherited the palace and enriched it with fascinating neoclassical decorations. Later, the palace became the headquarters of the Banca Cattolica Vicentina and, during World War II, fortunately escaped bombings.
In 1990, Banco Ambrosiano Veneto transformed the palace into a lively cultural center.
Today, the Palazzo Leoni Montanari is owned by Banca Intesa Sanpaolo and represents one of the precious gems of the Gallerie d'Italia.
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