{"id":3712,"date":"2020-01-22T15:43:18","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T15:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/doges-palace-venice\/"},"modified":"2024-07-22T15:06:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T15:06:33","slug":"doges-palace-venice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/doges-palace-venice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Doge’s Palace in Venice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nestled between St. Mark’s Square and the lagoon, the Doge’s Palace is an essential stop for any visitor to Venice. Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u26a0\ufe0f The Doge’s Palace is extremely popular,<\/strong> and the queue at the entrance can be frustratingly long, especially during peak season. To avoid wasting time<\/strong>, consider booking your visit in advance: Skip-the-Line Tickets<\/strong><\/a> or Guided Tour<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Contents:
<\/strong>A Brief History of the Doge’s Palace<\/a>
Visiting the Doge’s Palace: What to See and Do<\/a>
<\/a>Practical information (access, opening hours, prices)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Insider Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83c\udf1f Top tip:<\/strong> Free guided city tour<\/a> (in English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udca4 Accommodations:<\/strong> all our tips & recommendations <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfdb Plan Your Trip:<\/strong> the complete guide to Venice<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc76 Visiting Venice with Kids:<\/strong> all our best tips<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Bit Of History<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What is a Doge?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Until the 19th century, Italy was far from a unified country.\nThe Italian territory was divided into several kingdoms and republics,\nsuch as the Republic of Venice, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany,\nand the Kingdom of Sicily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Italian republics, power was vested in\na “doge,” a high-ranking magistrate responsible for administering the\ncity. This senior official, chosen from among the nobility, was appointed for life (though\nit was not uncommon for them to resign and spend their final years in a monastery,\naway from the perils of political life). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Venice, the Doge wielded numerous powers: deciding on war or peace, commanding the armies, and presiding over the senate. However, he did not rule the Serenissima alone and had to have all his decisions validated by the Council of Ten, which was responsible for the security of the Republic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From 697 to 1797 (the year Venice was conquered by Napoleon’s armies),\n120 doges succeeded one another at the head of the Republic of Venice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Palace-of-Doges-Venice-outside\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of the Doge’s Palace in Venice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Doge’s Palace, or Palazzo Ducale<\/em>\nin Italian, as we know it today, is not the first palace built by the\ndoges in Venice. Before the 10th century, another palace stood on\nthe current site of the Doge’s Palace. Far from being as sumptuous, it\nresembled more a fortified castle with watchtowers than the elegant palace\nwe know today. This first residence of the doges was\nravaged by a fire in 976, leaving\nno trace behind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Construction of the current Doge’s Palace began in 1340.\nOver the following centuries, the palace was expanded, transformed, restored, and\nembellished multiple times, finally achieving its present appearance\nat the beginning of the 17th century. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doges spared no expense in making their palace\na symbol of power and refinement. The greatest masters and the\nbest Italian architects were enlisted to shape this treasure, including\nPietro Baseggio, Filippo Calendario,\nJacobello and Pierpaolo dalle Masegne, Antonio Rizzo, Giovanni Bon, Veronese, and\nTintoretto. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting the Doge’s Palace: What to See and Do <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Doge’s Palace is a true architectural marvel, brilliantly blending Gothic and Byzantine styles. Follow Captain Ulysses as he takes you on a tour of this Venetian treasure! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Exterior of the Doge’s Palace <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your first stop, even before starting the palace tour, should be to admire its remarkable exterior facades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The architects achieved a real feat:\nthe west facade, facing Piazzetta San Marco, and the south facade, facing\nthe lagoon at the entrance of the Grand Canal, were created using a delicate\narchitectural technique called the inversion of masses. In practice, the lower part\nof the facades is light and airy, with large openings, while\nthe upper part is heavier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captain Ulysses recommends taking a detour\nto see the Doge’s Palace at different times of the day.\nWhy? The color of the facade changes with the light, taking on\na more or less rosy hue depending on the time of day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Doge's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Porta della Carta<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Porta della Carta (“Paper Gate”\nin Italian), built in 1440, serves as the main entrance to the Doge’s\nPalace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several theories behind the name of this\nimpressive Gothic gate: <\/p>\n\n\n\n