Built in 1744 by Domenico Barbiani at the behest of the Guiccioli family, PALAZZO BARONIO is one of the most imposing buildings of the historical centre of Ravenna.
The exterior retains the original colour, typical of the Ravenna palaces of the period. In Baroque style, balconies and two portals in Istrian stone characterise the façade, set on different levels.
The Guiccioli family, however, after quickly gaining power and wealth, lost their fortune. Due to debts, the family put the palace up for sale, which in 1788 was bought by the Baronio family, who had become rich in the post-Napoleonic period.
The irregular ground plan of the building is due to the slightly curved road in front. Around the three-storey main building there are two recessed two-storey side wings.
The atrium retains its original herringbone brick floor with two guides for the carriage wheels. The palace has a large inner courtyard and a small private chapel in Baroque style.
The tower in the corner belonged to a pre-existing structure, later incorporated by Barbiani.
A majestic staircase leads to the numerous rooms on the upper floor, four of which are decorated with mythological subjects on Mount Olympus by an artist of the Faenza school, perhaps Felice Giani (1758-1823).
For many decades, it was the seat of the “Circolo Cittadino“. Today, it is home to Maison Random, a private institution for contemporary art.
