Considering that the Doge's Palace or, in other words, Palazzo Ducale in Venice is part of the main architectural ensemble of the city, you will hardly be able to miss this Gothic place. Previously, only a select few could enter the territory of the residence; today it is one of the most popular museums. During the tour, you are allowed to walk through all the halls, admiring works of art from different eras.
The history of the appearance of the Doge's Palace
The first building was built in 810 and it looked like a powerful fortress with towers. This was necessary for the safety of the Doge and his retinue. After the first fortress was burned during the uprising, a more solid residence was re-erected on the same place. True, it did not resist because of a fire in 1106.
This was the beginning of the construction of the Venetian palace, which no longer needed to be strengthened. The building that can be seen today was built between 1309 and 1424. It is believed that the project was composed by Filippo Calendario. First, the exterior was completed by the lagoon, and later - overlooking St. Mark's Square.
In 1577, the Palazzo Ducale was significantly damaged by fire, after which Antonio de Ponti took over its restoration. It was decided to preserve the original style of the palace, despite the fact that the Renaissance architecture had long since replaced the Gothic. The palace served as the residence of the Doge before the Napoleonic occupation, later it was decided to turn the Palazzo Ducale into a museum.
Facade decoration and interior of the residence
Looking at the facade of the building, it seems that it is turned upside down, because the upper massive part is supported by openwork arches that add airiness to the base. At first, the thought arises that everything in the design is illogical, but for Venice, the design is made reasonably enough, because the grooves from the bottom helped to hide from the scorching sun. The second floor previously housed official halls, so the balconies in them helped to darken the premises.
Inside the Doge's Palace, there are many interesting rooms, each with its own style. Most of them were designed by different craftsmen in accordance with the purpose of the hall. There are paintings on the walls and ceilings, and the interior is decorated with stucco and sculptures.
The Palace of Versailles is worth a look.
There are both ceremonial rooms and those covered with the seal of sorrow and sorrow. For example, above the Council of Ten were the prisons where Giacomo Casanova and Giordano Bruno were held. The torture chamber has an even more creepy view.
It is difficult for tourists to immediately understand how to get from one place to another, since the residence has many premises for different purposes. In addition, there are secret routes that have been used in the past for different purposes: fast travel, hiding the accused, taking the Doges out of the palace.
Useful and interesting for tourists
During the excursions, tourists are shown not only the numerous halls, but also the front sights. Among the interesting places are:
- The central balcony of Palazzo Ducale is famous for the fact that from it they proclaimed the annexation of Venice to Italy;
- reddish columns on the second tier - have a terrible history, since it was here that the death sentences were announced;
- lions with open mouths - they were used to store notes with denunciations for various official departments;
- The Bridge of Sighs - the convicts walked along it from the Palace to the cells.
The opening hours of the Venetian architectural complex vary depending on the season: in summer from 8:30 to 19:00, in winter from 8:30 to 17:30. For those who are interested in the Doge's Palace, you should know where the Gothic residence is, because there is a museum with the same name in Genoa. Should you visit both? Sure! After all, each of them has its own history, they are rich in cultural monuments, photos with which will remind you of an exciting journey.
