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The WOW Factor! ©

COMMON QUESTIONS

Q: What is the history of Italian Venetian Plaster?

A:  Over the centuries, the Italians have given us some of the most dramatic architecture in the world. With rock quarries as one of their natural resources, they would use the various stones  (Travertine, various marbles and limestone,) to build some of their memorable creations. Many public and private buildings in Italy have walls of marble or other stone. Heavy slabs and blocks erected to create a wall whose exceptional beauty and elegance would endure for thousands of years. Examples would be The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Coliseum, Sistine Chapel, marble carving of David and other exquisite carvings and historical buildings.

In Venice, they were not as fortunate. In a city surrounded by water, they had to devise lightweight solutions for their buildings and walls. They used stones only as necessary for load-bearing portions of the foundation. It was impossible to use marble or stone for the walls of any structure. They experimented with various methods and materials, looking for a way to finish their walls to give their city the same enduring elegance as cities built on the mainland. 

Finally, Italian Architects and Designers came up with a plaster finish that would accomplish this goal. The Italians call it “Decorative Stucco”.  Now move ahead to about 1980, a new name was coined for this plaster, after the city of Venice. Today, in the states, we refer to this plaster as…. “Venetian Plaster”.