Palazzo Cappello, now the municipal seat, is a quadrangular building constructed by the noble family of Venetian merchants and bankers, the Cappello, between the late 15th century and the early decades of the 16th century. The sundial on the southern facade of the palace is dated June 8, 1516: it was made, at the request of N.H. Antonio Cappello, by Bartolomeo the astronomer from Gemona del Friuli and sculpted by Martino del Vitello, a master sculptor in Campo Santo Stefano in Venice when Leonardo Loredan was doge.
The palace was the gathering place for the entire Cappello family and other patricians who had villas in Meolo. Here, the Cappello also hosted the Bishops of Treviso on pastoral visits and the priors of the Augustinians who governed the Pieve of Meolo and its benefice.
Oriented along the north-south axis, the building represents, on the mainland, the type of Venetian house. It develops over three floors of different characteristics due to their various functions: the ground floor, for services; the noble floor for residence; and the last, for a granary utilizing the spaces offered by the gabled roof. The main facade on the south side is characterized on the ground floor by a central portal with rectangular windows on either side, while on the noble floor, two elegant single windows flank a central arched trifora divided by columns, which in turn opens onto a small balcony in white stone that echoes the white frame of the windows.
Highlights of the villa: The palace is embellished inside by the presence of frescoes: the hall on the ground floor, now the Council Chamber, is adorned with a frieze of phytomorphic angels in Renaissance clothing holding green and red porphyry rounds; in the hall on the noble floor, the coats of arms of the Cappello and those of the families related to them are painted; the ceiling is in the sansovina style and painted with floral motifs. In one of the side rooms, particularly interesting is the precious fresco of the great Rota Fortunae, which represents the cycle of power and life. The king is depicted in the painting at the four moments of power ("without a kingdom", "I will reign", "I reign", "I reigned") and holds scrolls with sacred mottos, some of which refer to Northern Europe: the ports of London and Flanders were indeed the traditional markets of the Cappello family.
