Doge’s Palace

A must-see in Venice is the Doge’s Palace in Piazza San Marco. The palace dates from the 14th century, and was the residence of the Doges of Venice. On view is the splendor of high Venetian style—Byzantine and Moorish architectural influences, gilded detailing, lush fabrics, rich colors, glistening marble floors, and allegorical paintings and portraits. Highlights include the Doges apartments, the old prison, and the Bridge of Sighs.

The Venetian Empire didn’t have an Emperor, it had a Doge. And his home was the pink marble perfection of the Palazzo Ducale, which was also where all the official doings of the Venetian Republic were carried out. Some of Venice‘s most important art is housed in this museum and fabulous repository of history; don’t miss the famous Bacchus, Venus and Ariadne masterwork by Tintoretto. Take a tour (the Secret Itinerary tour is a good option) and then have a glass of wine in the Palazzo’s small bistro by the Grand Canal. The windows look out onto the gondolas plying their way past the Bridge of Sighs.

Gothic, Renaissance, and baroque elements compete for the eye’s attention in the courtyard of the Doge’s Palace, which dates to the 14th century. You can appreciate the palace’s architecture from the lagoon and the Piazza San Marco, but visit the interior for the best introduction to the city’s history. The rooms are decorated with frescoes and marble carvings—all representations of mercantile wealth under the Doge, the Venetian republic’s supreme authority though the 1790s. The museum, council chambers, and prisons lend insight into historic Venice’s unique style of government. San Marco 1, 39/041-27-15911. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

The Porta della Carta, or Paper Gate, along with the entire Palazzo Ducale, is an example of Venetian Gothic architecture. The gate links the Basilica di San Marco, with the Palazzo Ducale demonstrating the important working relationship between church and state. The Paper Gate is also adorned with the winged lion—in this case it is San Marco and Venice in one—holding an open book, which represents the sovereignty of the state. The Doge kneeling before it is Doge Francesco Foscari, who reigned between 1423-1457, during a costly war with Milan—a city vying for regional supremacy with Venice in Northern Italy at that time. The Doge was not a king, but more like a president, who ruled in service to the Venetian people, state, and church. The fact that the Doge is kneeling shows that he is a humble man, equal to all those in God’s kingdom, rather than being equal to God in the style of the absolutist monarchs of France. Along with allegorical figures, saints, and cherubs is San Marco at the top of the gate, within the shell-like inset. This gate once again represents the connection between church and state. Unfortunately, what you see today of this gate is a copy of the original, which was destroyed in 1797, when Napoleon conquered Venice.