Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale), Venice

- Doge's Palace -
If you land in Venice from the sea, as did those who came inland by ship, the first thing you see rising out of the water is the unmistakable shape of the Doge's Palace - the city's most famous building built to show the citys wealth and the Doges power

WHAT IS IT??
For centuries the Doge's Palace had three fundamental roles: as the Doge residence, the seat of government and as the palace of justice. ...
...2. Upstairs you'll move through the doge's private rooms to the Anticollegio, where the doge and council would meet foreign dignitaries.

3. Then you move on to the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, the most magnificent room in the palace and then out over the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs, constructed 1602) to the city's 'new' prison. The name comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice ... more

- Doge's Palace -
If you land in Venice from the sea, as did those who came inland by ship, the first thing you see rising out of the water is the unmistakable shape of the Doge's Palace - the city's most famous building built to show the citys wealth and the Doges power

WHAT IS IT??
For centuries the Doge's Palace had three fundamental roles: as the Doge residence, the seat of government and as the palace of justice. This was where some of the most important decisions for Venice's, and even Europe's destiny were taken.

THE DOGE
The system of elected doges was as singular as everything else about this very singular city, and lasted for 1000 years. A vast bureaucracy of elected civil servants, committees and councils was presided over by the only figure elected for life, the doge. He played a huge role in steering policy and was elected for life on the principle that this would help stability (like the House of Lords here in the UK).

THE PALACE
First built in the ninth century, the Palazzo Ducale was rebuilt many times thereafter, and it was with the construction of the Sala del Maggior Consiglio in 1340 that the present building really took shape. Work continued until 1420.

ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY!!
The palace's most impressive room, the Sala del Maggior Consiglio (the Hall of the Great Council), has a frieze of paintings of the first 76 doges … with the exception of Marino Faliero. He was the 55th doge who was appointed on 11 September 1354. By 1355 he was plotting to declare himself prince (not done in a republic). Historians believe he was a bit senile by this time (already 70) and this is why he attempted to do this. When he was discovered he pleaded guilty, was beheaded, mutilated and condemned to Damnatio Memoriae, this is where all traces of a person would be expunged from history or memory. His place on the wall of paintings is empty, covered by a black veil.

As with all things war has had a negative impact on this building, Napoleon destroyed the statues of Foscari and his lions here and the sculptures you see now are later replicas. Porta della Carta means 'paper door', probably so named because city decrees were once nailed here for the public to see.

A temporary and continuing annoyance is that work on the palace through restoration barely stops as parts of the palace can, rather annoyingly, be closed with little notice so it is worth checking through your hotel if the palace is going to be closed/closed in part.

THE TOURISTS TOUR
You are allowed access to the interior of the palace in a preset order - you are pretty much allowed to wander at your own pace but when it gets busy you can be asked to move along.

1. You will enter the palazzo through a door next to the Lagoon, and enter an enormous courtyard, and the Arco Foscari. Here we see the mix of styles that make up the palace, as successive doges tried to make the palace ever more magnificent.
You then Climb the Scala dei Giganti. This is the area where the doges were crowned after a service in St Mark's. Many of the paintings in the first area are turned out in a hurry to replace paintings destroyed in a fire in 1577 and are average replicants of lost works by great masters.
Next the staircase beneath the south-east of the portico (the Scala d'Oro, or golden staircase) was designed by Sansovino and leads you to a succession of rooms from the 16th century. The ceiling of the staircase is gilt.

2. Upstairs you'll move through the doge's private rooms to the Anticollegio, where the doge and council would meet foreign dignitaries.

3. Then you move on to the Sala del Maggior Consiglio, the most magnificent room in the palace and then out over the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs, constructed 1602) to the city's 'new' prison. The name comes from the suggestion that prisoners would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice out the window before being taken down to their cells. But the name was only given in the nineteenth century by a brit - Lord Byron

This is one of the most important buildings in Venice and one of the few important buildings you can actually enter. Although the building has been destroyed or damaged several times it has been excellently restored and rebuilt. I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed when you visit.

FACILITIES
1. No toilets,No restaurant I guess they did not want to change the building
2. Just a small shop for postcards/guides and the like
3. A guided tour is available but the guide was difficult to understand (pigeon English) so my advice is grab a guide book and go around in your own time.

Tickets are not expensive even for the guided tour.

The easiest way to get to the palace is right up to the waterfront on a water taxi , they drop off about 50 yards from the entrance.

I guess you will know your children best but this probably would be a little tedious and of little interest for small children who would rater be on the beach but if you intend to force culture upon them this is perfect 

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