Palazzo Grassi: Main staircase

Massari went counter to local tradition by planning this palace around a square courtyard. The entrance on the Grand Canal leads to the main staircase, which has fresco decorations by Michelangelo Morlaiter and is flanked by trompe l’oeil balconies populated with curious figures looking out. The staircase is one of the few parts of the palace to retain its original decorations.