The Doge’s Palace in Venice

Nestled between St. Mark’s Square and the Venetian lagoon, the Doge’s Palace is a must-see for any visitor traveling in Venice. Follow the guide!

Brief history of the Doge’s Palace

What is a ‘Doge’?

Until the 19th century, Italy was not a unified country. The Italian territory was then divided into several kingdoms and republics, among which the Republic of Venice, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Kingdom of Sicily.

In the Italian Republics, power was in the hands of a “doge”, a high-ranking magistrate in charge of running the city. This high-ranking official, chosen among the nobility, was appointed for life (even though it was not uncommon for the doge to resign in his old days and retire in a monastery, away from the dangers of political life!)

In Venice, the Doge had many powers: he decided on war or peace, commanded the armies, presided over the senate… But he did not administer the ‘Serenissima’ (the ‘Most Serene Republic of Venice’) alone. All his decisions had to be reviewed by the ‘Council of Ten’, a body responsible for ensuring the security of the Republic.

From 697 to 1797 (when Napoleon’s armies invaded the city), the Republic of Venice was headed by 120 different doges.

Brief history of the Doge’s Palace in Venice

The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale in Italian) as we know it is not the first palace to be built by the doges in Venice. Before the 10th century, another palace stood on the exact spot where the Doge’s Palace stands today: far from being as lavish, this first monument looked much more like a fortified castle than the elegant palace that we know today. This first residence of the doges was destroyed in a fire in 976 there remains no vestige of it.

Construction of the present Doge’s Palace began in 1340. Over the following centuries, the palace was enlarged, remodeled, restored and embellished multiple times until it finally took on its current appearance in the early 17th century.

Doges spent copious amounts of money to make their palace a symbol of power and refinement: the greatest artists and bast Italian architects were enlisted to work on the palace, among whom Pietro Baseggio, Filippo Calendario, Jacobello and Pierpaolo dalle Masegne, Antonio Rizzo, Giovanni Bon, Veronese and Tintoretto.

Visiting the Doge’s the best things to do

The Doge’s Palace is an architectural wonder that seamlessly blends Gothic and Byzantine styles. Follow the guide!

Exterior of the Doge’s Palace

First stop before entering the palace to admire its remarkable facades.

The architects have achieved a true tour de force: the western façade, on Piazetta San Marco, and the southern façade, overlooking the lagoon, a few steps from the Grand Canal, are the result of a complex architectural technique: the lower sections of the facades are light and airy, with wide openings, while the higher sections are filled and heavier.

Captain Ulysses recommends that you take a short detour by the Doge’s Palace several times during the day. Why? The colour of the façade changes under different lighting and takes on a pinkish hue at certain times of day.

Porta della Carta

The Porta della Carte, built in 1440, was the main gate of the Doge’s Palace.

According to historians, several theories can explain the name of this stunning Gothic door:

• This is where the decrees and public notices were posted for the Venetians to see
• This is where the public scribes set up their desks
• The archives of state documents were located nearby

Although the door is now known as the “Porta della Carta”, it was first called the “Golden Door” because it was originally entirely decorated with gilding.

But despite its delicate and complex ornamentations, the door has not always been a favourite of the city’s inhabitants’! Why? Well, because of the statue representing the doge Francesco Foscari kneeling in front of the lion of St. Mark. Doges were not allowed to think of themselves as kings, which is why Francesco Foscari caused a scandal!

The statue of the doge nestled on the Porta della Carte today is a facsimile. The original satue was moved to safety during the invasion of the city by the Napoleonic armies and is now exhibited in the museum of the Doge’s Palace.

Inner courtyard

If the facades of the Doge’s Palace look surprisingly harmonious for a building that has undergone so many transformations over the years, the same cannot be said of the courtyard of the palace, which looks much more eclectic and showcases a variety of architectural styles: Gothic, Renaissance…

The city’s powers were formerly organized around this courtyard, with the residence of the doge, the seat of government, the courthouse and St. Mark’s Basilica (which is located just behind the Doge’s Palace).

The Giants’ Staircase

Designed by Antonio Rizzo in the late 15th century, the Giants’ Staircase (“Scala dei Giganti” in Italian) is undoubtedly the most most striking and emblematic element in the inner courtyard of the Doge’s Palace.

This imposing staircase is guarded by two statues designed by the Italian sculptor Jacopo Sansovino in 1565: Mercury (the god of trade) and Neptune (the god of the sea).

The doges were nominated right here, between these statues symbolizing Venice’s power by land and by sea.

The Golden Staircase

The Golden Staircase (“Scala d’Oro” in Italian) leads to the institutional halls.

Completed in 1559, the Golden Staircase is an absolute marvel: designed in the classical style, it is adorned with gold leaf-decorated stuccets and frescoes painted by Italian artist Giambattista Franco.

This lavish staircase was meant to impress visitors entering the Doge’s Palace and showcase the riches of Venice. It was reserved for the most illustrious guests and high-ranking Venetian dignitaries.

The Chamber of the Great Council

Located on the ^1st floor of the palace, the Chamber of the Great Council is the jewel in the crown of the Doge’s Palace, not only because of its monumental dimensions (53 meters long, 26 meters wide and 10 meters high / 174 ft x 85 ft x 33 ft) but also because of the sumptuousness of its decoration.

Built in the 14th century, this vast room was designed to receive the meetings of the ‘Great Council’, the political assembly made up of the male members of the Venetian nobility.

Much like a museum, the Chamber of the Great Council exhibits pieces from world-renowned Italian artists, like Veronese and Tintoretto.

Don’t miss Veronese’s Triumph of Venice, nor Tintoretto Il Paradisio, which is the longest canvas painting in the world.

Portraits of the first 76 doges of Venice are arranged on the walls of the room. But one of them is not quite like the others… A large black sheet is painted where the Doge Marino Faliero’s face face. Why? Marino Faliero was found guilty and executed for plotting a coup against the Republic of Venice. The following mention in Latin appears on the painting: “Hic est locus Marini Faletri decapitti pro criminibus” (“here is Marino Faliero, beheaded for his crimes”).

The Prison and the Bridge of Sighs

Up until the 16th century, the Doge’s Palace housed the prison of Venice within its walls. Located just under the lead roof, the Old Prison was nicknamed the “Piombi” (“lead” in Italian). The atmosphere in the “Piombi” was stiffling and temperatures could reach 50 °C / 122°F.

In the early 17th century, a new prison was built on the other side of the Rio della Canonica. It was connected to the Doge’s Palace by the famous Bridge of Sighs.

Contrary to the old Venetian prison, the cells of this new prison were located underground, hence their nickname: the “Pozzi” (the Wells). They were cold and damp, not to mention that they were regularly flooded.

Since their construction, only one prisoner was able to escape from the prisons of the Doge’s Palace. Any idea who this might be? Come on, here is a clue: convicted of debauchery, atheism, occultism and Masonic affiliation this well-known man is said to have seduced 142 different women. …Casanova, of course! He managed to escape the prison in 1755!

Access

Getting to the Doge’s Palace

The Doge’s Palace is located in the heart of Venice, nestled between St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Square and the lagoon. The San Zaccaria and San Marco vaporetto stops are just a stone’s throw away.

👉 Book your bus + vaporetto pass here.

Opening hours of the Doge’s Palace

The Doge’s Palace is open daily, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is closed on December 25th and January 1^st.

Admission

Tickets to the Doge’s Palace

The ticket to the Doge’s Palace also grants access to the Correr Museum, to the National Archaeological Museum and to the National Library of St Mark.

Tickets cost 25 euros per adult and 13 euros per children aged 6 to 14, students aged 15 to 25 and visitors over the age of 65. Admission is free for children under 6.

Be warned: Venice is a very touristy city year-round and you may have to wait in line for quite a while before getting to the Doge’s Palace.

To avoid waiting, Captain Ulysses recommends:

• arriving early
• opting for a skip-the-line ticket
• Or opting for the Venice Museum Pass, which includes free admission to a selection of Venetian museums and monuments

Guided tours of the Doge’s Palace

If you don’t want to miss out on any of the treasures of the Doge’s Palace and are interested in finding out more about its long history, you might want to opt for a guided tour.

For more information: Tickets for the Doge’s Palace (and St. Mark’s Basilica): skip-the-line access + guided tour

And if you love to venture into off-limits corners, do not miss the Secret backstage tour of the Doge’s Palace!

👉 Skip the lines: book your tickets and visits in Venice!