Scala Contarini del Bovolo

The Scala Contarini del Bovolo is a charming spiral stairway perched on a corner of a building in the heart of Venice, near St. Mark’s Square, and one of the city’s most admired attractions. Originally added to the fifteenth-century Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, now the most prominent part of the structure, the staircase was constructed around 1499 and ascends in four flights to a terrace at the top, which is decorated with an ornate cupola resting on a series of arches. With its exotic circular forms, mimicking the outward shapes of Rome's domes, the staircase marks a distinct break with the more typical gothic forms of Venetian architecture and has been inspiring visitors since the Renaissance. During the day and early evening the stairway is open to the public and surrounded by street performers, vendors and photographers.