Fondaco dei Tedeschi

Luxury shopping above Rialto

Former luxury shopping mall in a historical building, offering sweeping views from its rooftop terrace.

As of late April 2025, both the mall and its rooftop terrace are closed, with no clear updates on if or when they'll reopen.

Grand Canal From Above

San Marco

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Rialto + 4-min walk

Vaporetto Guide

Admission is free.

Additional resources

What makes this place special

'Warehouse of the Germans'

The English translation of the name reveals its origin: the building served as palace, warehouse, market and living quarters for predominantly Germanic merchants from cities such as Nuremberg and Augsburg.

The only shopping mall in Venice

More than 150 luxury brands spread across 4 floors provided a variety of shopping options: fashion items, perfumes and even fine wines and gourmet sweets.

The rooftop terrace

The terrace offered close, elevated views of the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge, but it has been closed since the end of April 2025.

Discover more about Fondaco dei Tedeschi through 7 photos with explanations.

Open gallery

Alternative viewpoints

Ok, the mall and the terrace are closed, but where can I still see Venice from above? - I hear you asking.

We have a dedicated section in the CityScrolls guide featuring 7 panoramic viewpoints where you can enjoy Venice from above, all easily accessible.

Perhaps less well known is this rooftop terrace at Palazzo Pisani: it's the highest open-air viewpoint in Venice, offering uninterrupted, sweeping views of the city from a prime location close to the Grand Canal.

Where to see Venice from above

What is Fondaco?

A Fondaco (or Fontego in the Venetian dialect) was a multipurpose building serving as a trading post, inn, and warehouse, typically used by foreign merchants in Mediterranean and Italian city-states.

Fondaco dei Tedeschi, as the name implies, was used by German merchants.

Another historical warehouse is Fondaco dei Turchi ('of the turks') that hosts the Natural History Museum.

Natural History Museum : The museum is situated in the historic Fontego dei Turchi, with views overlooking the Grand Canal

Since Fondaco dei Tedeschi is currently closed, you can visit this historic warehouse instead, with the added benefit of discovering one of the most captivating collections of artefacts from Venetian expeditions along the Nile, as well as other rare and curious treasures from far-off lands.