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Doge's Palace

Center of Power of Venice

The Doge's Palace, the official residence of the Doge of Venice, is located south of St. Mark's Basilica and next to St. Mark's Little Square. Inside the Gothic-style building, there are rooms as the Chamber of the Great Council, the Four Doors Room and precious frescoes.

The Doge’s Palace of Venice (Palazzo Ducale) is located south of St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) and is a historic building with Venetian features, separated from the Library of St. Mark (Biblioteca Marciana) by Little Square of St. Mark (Piazzetta San Marco).

The Doge’s Palace has a long history of about 1200 years, with several fires and renovations. Its last major reconstruction was in the 16th century. As Residence of Doges in Venice, this palace is built in Venetian Gothic style, with a loggia on the ground floor open to the public, which is said to be an expression of the Doge’s benevolence and closeness to the people. The upper level of the loggia has narrow Gothic panes, which are unique and elegant.

Next to St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco), the Carta Gate (Porta della Carta) is one of the main entrances of the Doge’s Palace, with Gothic figures and Lion of St. Mark carved above the gate and the famous Giants’ Staircase inside.

The Paradise, by Tintoretto, 1579

The Doge’s palace building is divided into three floors, with rooms such as the Chamber of the Great Council, the Four Doors Room, the Senate Chamber, and the Council Chamber, almost every hall of which has precious frescoes. The most famous is the 22-meter-wide and 7-meter-high Tintoretto painting “Paradise” in the Chamber of the Great Council, on which there are more than 700 figures painted and regarded as the largest oil painting in the world. A variety of armor and weapons are also on display in the armory of the Doge’s Palace.

The Baroque style Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is located on the east side of the palace and connecting the Doge’s Palace to the prison. Bridge of Sighs is as famous as the Rialto Bridge (Ponte di Rialto) and is one of the most popular attractions in Venice.

Bridge Of Sighs

The Last Glimpse

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice is an early 17th century baroque stone bridge that connects the Doge's Palace with the prison. The name of the bridge is derived from the sighs of the prisoners who entered the prison after their trial in the Doge's Palace, when they passed through the open windows of the bridge.