La maison de l’Alchimiste

In Valdenogher, in the municipality of Tambre d’Alpago, you can visit this Alchemist’s House Museum, housed in a recently restored 16th-century building. As well as being an example of an architectural style which is very different from the local historical building tradition, the museum offers visitors an excellent, simple opportunity to discover an ancient practice, somewhere between philosophy and science, which disappeared after the 18th century with the advent of chemistry. The legend goes this small palazzo was built by a political refugee from Alexandria in Egypt, who seeked protection under the Republic of Venice. Sculptures and decorations on the building's façade reveal an iconography which may be related to alchemic symbols of Renaissance times, when the legendary philosopher's stone was searched for. The philosopher's stone was reckoned to be useful for rejuvenation, and a substance capable of turning inexpensive metals into gold.