Porteghi
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Portego ("porch" in Venetian dialect) is a characteristic compositional element of the Venetian civil buildings built during the years of the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
. The portego is similar to a reception hall but has peculiar features.


History

The portego is known from the ancient times; it is present even in the oldest Venetian palaces. In later centuries and especially during the emergence of the
Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
, the portego original central structure has changed substantially, allowing for T-shaped and L-shaped halls.


Function

In a typical Venetian palace, the portego is the local passage hall that joins the water portal with the land portal. On the ground floor, it serves as an entrance hall for loading goods, while on the upper floors the portego is used both as a reception hall and as a passing hall to access other rooms, located on both sides. Furthermore, the portego was crucial in providing ventilation and air circulation for the palazzo which, especially during medieval summers, allowed for respite from the humid weather and smells emitted from the often sewer infested waterways of Venice.


Architecture

Usually, the portego joins the water portal and the ground portal and may passes through the court. This large room is usually decorated by a multi-light
polifora Polifora is a type of the multi-light window. It appears in towers and belfries on top floors, where it is necessary to lighten the structure with wider openings. The term ''polifora'' usually refers to the window with at least five parts. Overvi ...
, its size depending on the width of the interior. In the traditional palazzo, for example
Palazzo Loredan dell'Ambasciatore Palazzo Loredan dell'Ambasciatore is a late 15th-century Gothic palace in Venice, Italy, that once belonged to the noble Loredan family. Located in the Dorsoduro ''sestiere'' (quarter), it was called ''"dell'Ambasciatore"'' because it was offered ...
, the staircase is placed at the portego.


Gallery

Ca' Rezzonico (Venice) - Portego.jpg, Portego of
Ca' Rezzonico Ca' Rezzonico () is a palazzo and art museum on the Grand Canal in the Dorsoduro ''sestiere'' of Venice, Italy. It is a particularly notable example of the 18th century Venetian baroque and rococo architecture and interior decoration, and displa ...
Ca' pesaro, portego, 01.jpg, Portego of
Ca' Pesaro The Ca' Pesaro is a Baroque marble palace turned art museum, facing the Grand Canal of Venice, Italy. Today it is one of the 11 museums run by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia system. The building was originally designed by Baldassarre Lo ...
Palazzo querini stampalia, portego 02.jpg, Portego of Palazzo Querini Stampalia Palazzo grimani di s.m. formosa, portego 02.jpg, Portego of
Palazzo Grimani di Santa Maria Formosa The Palazzo Grimani of Santa Maria Formosa is a State museum, located in Venice in the Castello district, near Campo Santa Maria Formosa. History The palace can be reached by land from Ruga Giuff(map) The water entry, very used in ancient times, ...
Ca' d'oro, portego del piano nobile 01.JPG, Portego of
Ca' d'Oro The Ca' d'Oro or Palazzo Santa Sofia is a palace on the Grand Canal in Venice, northern Italy. One of the older palaces in the city, its name means "golden house" due to the gilt and polychrome external decorations which once adorned its walls. ...


See also

*
Sotoportego Sotoportego (or sottoportego) is one of the characteristic elements of urban planning in the city of Venice. It is a passageway that goes underneath a building. The sotoportego height typically equals to that of the ground floor. Oftentimes, the s ...


References

{{Reflist Venetian Gothic architecture Architectural design Rooms Architectural elements