Molino Stuky

The Molino Stucky is a huge building located on the island of Giudecca, and it is very different from the typical Venetian constructions: it almost looks like a Northern European factory rather than a lagoon palace.

It was built at the end of the 19th century (around 1884–1895) by Giovanni Stucky, an entrepreneur of Swiss origin, with the idea of creating a large modern mill to produce flour and also pasta.

At the time it was highly advanced: it provided work for a large number of people (even more than a thousand) and was able to produce enormous quantities of flour every day, becoming one of the most important industrial centers in Venice.

From an aesthetic point of view, it is very distinctive: it is in Neo-Gothic style, with red bricks, turrets, and a large clock on the façade, so it is a mix between a factory and a “castle.”

Over time, however, it lost its importance: already in the 20th century it began to decline until it finally closed in 1955.

For years it remained abandoned, then in the 1990s it was decided to restore it. During the works, in 2003, there was also a major fire that damaged part of the building.

In the end it was restored and today it has become a luxury hotel (Hilton), with rooms, restaurants, and event spaces, while maintaining its original appearance.

In short, it is a symbol of “industrial” Venice, very different from the tourist one, and today it is an example of a historic building transformed into something modern.