The oldest private palaces still existing in Venice date back to the 13th Century and reflect the Byzantine architectural influence.
The façades are smoothly plastered or have exposed bricks, while the arches are round and often have thin decorative cornices with a simple design (such as palm leaves or trees). Such buildings are easily identified by their main entrance on the ground floor and the open arched galleries running along the entire length of the first floor. Some of the oldest façades are also decorated with pàtere.

A typical example of the Byzantine style is Palazzo Loredan, today housing the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, with an elegant portico on the ground floor and a loggia on the first floor, another typical feature of Byzantine palaces in the 13th Century, with bas-relief decoration in the façade representing the coat-of-arms of the owner and lion of St. Mark.

The Fondaco dei Turchi is also typical of this style, although it was radically altered in the 1800s. Built in 1225, it has Byzantine arches and Tondi decorating the façade.

1100 - 1200 - - rev. 0.1.5