Doge Palace
During its history the Palace was burned down several times, so that the original construction was completely destroyed and nothing is left today. The Palace as we know it today dates back circa to the XIV-XV Century. Built in gothic style, the façade is made of pink marble coming from Verona and Pietra d’Istria (Istria Stone), and the columns that support it give life to an archway that from the square faces Saint Mark’s Basin.
It is said that crossing the column situated at the corner on the ground floor brings you bad luck and, as the famous proverb reminds us, forewarned is forearmed…
The importance of the Palace during the Serenissima Republic was also given from the fact that, contrary to all other buildings in Venice, this one was the only one that could boast to be called “Palazzo”, whereas all other constructions were called “Ca’” (abbreviation for House).
Not only was the palace seat of the Government, but also Court of Justice and, as the name tells us, house of the Doge.
Reminiscences of this period are found everywhere within it: the paintings that characterize it tells us of a Venice powerful and rich. Nowadays the palace is the seat of the Civic Museum.
Its main entrance, known as “Porta della Carta” (Paper’s door) (XV century), gives access to the Arco Foscari. The door was so called because new laws and decrees were affixed on it regularly. It was projected and built by Giovanni and Bartolomeo Bon.
Proceeding, in the internal courtyard, along the “Androne Foscari”, we can admire the Giants’ Staircase, made by Antonio Rizzo, built around the XV Century, too. It was a very important opera, that was used during official ceremonies. It was called “the Giants’ Staircase” because of two big marble statues depicting Mars and Neptune, apt to represent the power of Venice both by land and by sea.
The Golden Staircase, made by Sansovino, is the natural continuation of the Giants’ Staircase, and it is decorated with stuccos by Alessandro Vittoria.
The Room of the Great Council is certainly the most precious of the whole Palace. It is the only room of the whole palace that is not substained by any supporting column. Its stability is given from the intelligent placement of beams and powerful trusses.
The sovereign assembly of the Venetian State was held here, and this is the main reason why it is considered the most important one. As an additional proof to this, there is also a big painting in the room representing the first 76 Doges of Venice (the others can be found in the “Poll room”- Sala dello Scrutinio). Moreover, a whole façade of the room is covered by the Paradise by Tintoretto (1588-92).
Did you know that…
if you like to visit the areas of the Palace normally forbidden to the public, you can?
You only have to book the “Secrets Tour”, that will take you to the Prisons, too. From one of those prisons, in 1775, Casanova escaped!!!
