Doge's Palace
About the Museum
The Doge's Palace was the seat of the Venetian Republic for more than six centuries. It housed the Doge, the elected head of state, and also the great councils, the courts, the state offices and the prisons, so the whole machinery of government lived inside one building beside Saint Mark's Basilica. The pink and white Gothic facades that face the lagoon and the Piazzetta were built in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, while the interiors were rebuilt after fires in 1574 and 1577 and decorated by Veronese, Tintoretto, Palma il Giovane and their workshops.
The visit follows a fixed route. It starts in the courtyard, climbs the Giants' Staircase and the Golden Staircase, then passes through the Doge's apartments and the institutional rooms of the second floor: the Collegio, the Senate, the Council of Ten and the armoury. The route then descends to the Hall of the Great Council, the largest room in the palace, with Tintoretto's Paradise on the end wall, before crossing the Bridge of Sighs into the New Prisons and returning to the courtyard.
The rooms are labelled in Italian with English translations, and the palace is one of the Civic Museums of Venice. Allow about two hours for the main route; the Secret Itineraries tour adds the attics, the torture chamber and the cell from which Casanova escaped.
Before You Go
- Book a timed ticket online; the queue at the Piazzetta entrance can be very long in the morning, so early afternoon is often calmer.
- The route is one way, so if you want time in front of Tintoretto's Paradise, do not linger too long in the earlier rooms.
- The Secret Itineraries guided tour must be booked separately and takes you into the attics, the old prisons and Casanova's cell.
- Photography without flash is allowed in most rooms.
- The palace ticket is usually combined with the Museo Correr and the other museums on Saint Mark's Square, so keep it for the same day.
- Wear comfortable shoes: there are many stairs and the Bridge of Sighs corridor and prisons are narrow.
Collection Areas
Highlights
12 works. Each work has a full written and audio guide.
