"According to his will, Giovanni Querini Stampalia founded an institution to foster study and ”useful subjects”. This is still the mission of the Foundation, whose main goal is the education and the development of individuals. This is a place encouraging the exchange of views as well as cross-cultural meetings, personal development and the spread of knowledge." ~ Fondazione Querini Stampalia

One of the coolest, most serene places we visited while in Venice

was the Fondazione Querini Stampalia…

simply represented by its own simple icon…

 shown on the steps leading across a canal…

into the the palacial home of the Querini Stampalia family...

giving insight into a typical atmosphere of 16th century aristocrats.  

Sidenote…

my ceilings are looking a bit boring after my visit to Venice.

The garden was spotlighted in the FT recently,

and gives greater insight into the design of Carlo Scarpa who brought to life the building after years of neglect.

However,

it is the library, whose opening hours mandated by the founder include holidays and late nights, 

that lured me away from the hustle and bustle of Venice...

to a nondescript door.

As we searched, before Ren Man could utter his disapproval,

I was turning the knob and we were walking into a series of large rooms filled with books  and tables 

whose very smell increased my IQ. 

The library was quite busy,

so I tempered my photography.

but I did manage to snap a quick one of the lighting...

and left with table envy.

Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Happy Tuesday.