Casa dei Tre Oci: A Story Etched in Stone on Giudecca Island, Venice

On the island of Giudecca in Venice, facing the splendor of St. Mark’s Basin, stands one of the city’s most intriguing buildings: the Casa dei Tre Oci, or “House of the Three Eyes.” Its name, in the Venetian dialect, refers to the three large ogival windows that dominate the main façade—”oci” meaning “eyes.”

By Till Niermann – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61629812

But this architectural detail is more than just decorative. It holds a deeply personal and emotional significance.

The house was designed and built between 1912 and 1913 by the painter Mario De Maria, also known as Marius Pictor, as a residence for himself and his family. The three prominent windows symbolize the three surviving members of his family: himself, his wife Emilia Voight, and their son Astolfo. Above these three “eyes” sits a smaller double window—this one represents Silvia, his young daughter who had died prematurely.

Through this powerful and poetic gesture, De Maria turned his home into a silent tribute, a stone portrait of both love and loss. The building’s name, Casa dei Tre Oci, thus becomes not just a reference to its structure, but a memorial imbued with deep emotional resonance.

Architecturally, the house is a striking example of early 20th-century neo-Gothic design, standing out with its ornate forms and emotional symbolism. Over the years, the building has transitioned from private residence to a vibrant cultural hub. Today, it serves as a venue for exhibitions and artistic events, continuing to reflect the creative spirit in which it was born.

The Casa dei Tre Oci is not just a place—it’s a story carved in stone, a home where art and memory live on together, and one of the best places to see in Venice.