Discover Baglioni Hotel Luna
A Journey into Classical Venetian History
Baglioni Hotel Luna is situated at the entrance to Piazza San Marco in Venice, the epi-center of
Venetian art history and origin of the city’s spirit. In 1187, the Knights Templar were given
buildings and land in Venice by the Archbishop of Ravenna. On their frequent pilgrimages to the
Holy Land, the Templars had established excellent relations with the city-state, which was at the
time the nexus of trades between Europe and the Orient. One of the gifted properties was the
present-day location of Baglioni Hotel Luna. Initially, they built a chapel, which was later expanded
into a church, with rooms for the Templars to use as they awaited passage on a Venetian galley.
In 1312, the Order of the Templars was suppressed by the Pope, and their properties in Venice
were distributed among members of Venetian nobility. One group of nobles, the Knights
Hospitaller of Malta, obtained permission from the Pope to sell the property where Baglioni Hotel
Luna stands. The building thus became La Locanda-Osteria della Luna, a hostelry.
Centuries later, in 1824, the original church was demolished during the restoration of Piazza San
Marco and the adjoining gardens. The hotel expanded into the area formerly occupied by the
church, where Baglioni’s Ristorante Canova and the Sala del Caminetto now stand. Then, Italy did
not yet exist, and after Napoleon’s fall, Venice found itself in Austrian hands. It was at Baglioni
Hotel Luna that figures like poet and patriot Silvio Pellico and the Polish poet Kraszewski stayed,
stoking the cultural ferment that would help fuel the movement for Italian independence.
The present-day Marco Polo Salon, on Baglioni Hotel Luna’s first floor, is completely frescoed with
allegorical scenes depicting earthly pleasures, executed by master pupils of Tiepolo, the foremost
artist of the 1700s in Venice. Tiepolo later decorated the Royal Palace in Madrid and the Winter
San Marco, 1243 | 30124 | Venice | Italy | Ph. +39 041 5289840 | Fax: +39 041 5287160
[email protected] | www.baglionihotels.com
Palace in St. Petersburg. Baglioni Hotel Luna is home to exquisite art, from French paintings circa
1700s to Murano glass and Limoges porcelain to fine cabinetmaking from the 1700 and 1800s.
San Giorgio, Sansovino, Giorgione and Tiepolo, the hotel’s most splendid suites, all boast
spectacular views of the lagoon or the rooftops of the city. The San Giorgio and the Sansovino
suites have stunning views from their ample terraces – a panorama that stretches from the Punta
della Dogana to the Church of St. George. The hotel’s 91 rooms and suites in all, include touches
of Italian refinement such as Venetian drapes, inlaid wood furniture, Oriental lanterns and lamps
in Murano glass.
The distinguished atmosphere of Ristorante Canova, arranged like a dining room around a
magnificent French still life from the 1700s, provides an elegant setting to sample the special
creations of Chef Cosimo Giampaolo, a master of modern Venetian cuisine who combines
tradition and innovation with an insatiable curiosity, complemented by a distinctly curated wine
list.
Enjoy breakfast each morning under the Tiepolo frescoes and other fascinating paintings from
1800s Venice, depicting significant events in the lives of the Venetian nobility. Baglioni Hotel Luna
guests come to appreciate the centuries gone by and depart inspired by the Venice to come.
For further information:
Baglioni Hotels Press Office
[email protected] | www.baglionihotels.com/venice
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San Marco, 1243 | 30124 | Venice | Italy | Ph. +39 041 5289840 | Fax: +39 041 5287160
[email protected] | www.baglionihotels.com