The Doge's Palace

 The Doge's Palace 

Palais des Doges 

Der Dogenpalast 

The symbolic seat of Venetian power,formerly the seat of the Doge and State Magistratures,the Palace is the supreme embodiment of Venetian civilisation. 

The interior, superbly decorated by legions of artists, including Titian, Veronese, Tintoretto,Sansovino and Tiepolo, offer a range of different experiences. 

The Doge's Palace as we see it today is an accumulation of layer upon layer of building work and ornamentation, comprising the original foundations, the fourteenth/ fifteenth- century structure, sizeable Renaissance additions and opulent Mannerist details. 

The structure is made up of three large blocks that incorporate previous constructions. 

-The wing looking out towards St. Mark's Basin (and containing the Hall of the Great Council) (1) is the oldest, and was rebuilt from 1340 onwards. 

-The wing towards the Piazza (formerly known as the Court Rooms) contains the Sala dello Scrutinio (2) and wasbuilt in its present form from 1424 onwards. 

-The canal-side wing, housing the Doge's apartments and many of the offices of government (3), dates from the Renaissance and was built in the period 1483-1565. 

The Courtyard 

La Cour 

Der Innenhof 

Having entered the Palace by the Porta del Frumento [Wheat Gateway], which is in the oldest,south-facing wing, one has the west-facing Piazzetta wing to one's left, and the east-facing Renaissance wing to one's right. 

The north side of the courtyard is closed by the junction between the Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, which was the Doge's chapel. The small marble facade with clock (4) that stando there dates from rebuilding work in 1615. At the centre of the courtyard stand two vere da pozzo [wellheads] (5); massive and ornate works in cast bronze, they date from the middle of the sixteenth century. 

The courtyard facads of the two oldest wings are simple and severe, whilst the Renaissance wing facade is much more ornate, and culminates towards the far end in the Giant's Staircase (6). Used for formal entrances into the Palace, this is guarded by two colossal statues of Mars and Neptune which were produced by Sansovino in 1565 and symbolise Venice's power on both land and sea. Designed by Antonio Rizzo,the staircase is near the Arch (7) commissioned by Doge Francesco Foscari (1423-1457);with a rounded vault and decorated with alternate bands of Istrian stone and red Verona marble, this veritable triumphal archway (8) links up with the Porta della Carta (Paper Gateway) through which modern-day visitors leave the Palace. 

To the right of the Giants' Staircase is the Senators Courtyard (9),where the members of the Senate gathered before government meetings. On the same wing of the Palace,but at the opposite end to the Giants'Staircase, the wide Censor's Staircase (10) rises from under the arcades to the loggia floor above. Built in 1525, perhaps to designs by Scarpagnino, this is where one's visit to the upper floors begins.