The Doge's Palace, the history of Venice

For several centuries, Venice was a model throughout Europe in terms of its unique institutions. The Doge's Palace is the symbol of this. In its early days, it wasnothing more than a classic square-shapedfortified castle, erected as early as the 9th century.

But from the 14th century onwards, the building underwent a complete transformation. The refinement of Venetian taste began to be fully expressed in the architecture of their ducal palace: the gradual transformation of the Doge's Palace gave rise to the masterpiece of Gothic architecture that you are standing in front of!

During the heyday of the Serenissima (15th-16th centuries), the Doge's Palace housed all the institutions that made up the Republic of Venice. A skilful blend of monarchical power, embodied by the Doge himself, aristocratic power in the form of the Senate, and democratic power in the form of the Great Council, one of whose functions was to elect... the Doge!

As the centre of Venetian power, the Doge's Palace remains at the heart of the discovery of the city: enjoy the beauty of the building from the outside, from Piazza San Marco, but don't miss the opportunity to visit the palace to better understand the history of Venice.

This is one of the must-sees in Venice: linger in the succession of rooms where, little by little, you can discover how this strange power shared between the great Venetian noble families worked. The rest of your stay in Venice will take on a whole new dimension.

Don't miss the Scala d'Oro (Golden Staircase), the various rooms where the Serenissima's authorities were based, such as the Duke's Apartment or the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, which could seat 1,000 people. The splendour of the period is personified in the works of art that adorn the walls and ceilings, with such great names of Venetian painting as Veronese, Titian and Tintoretto...

It's a feast for the eyes, before a thrill ride through the prison of the ducal palace, the Plombs, with its gloomy cells, where graffiti by former prisoners can still be seen, and its damp dungeons, the pozzi. It's also the perfect opportunity to cross the mythical Bridge of Sighs (17th century), behind the Doge's Palace: named after the sighs uttered by prisoners as they took one last look at Venice before their trial...