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 Veronese in Sala del
Collegio by breughel
The sculptured and gilded wooden ceilings, the paintings of the masters Tintoret, Veronese, Bassano, Palma the Young and others do not really cheer up the somewhat ponderous decoration, essentially of the end of the 16th century.
I believe that this serious, sometimes dark decoration resulted from the function of this palace. It is not here the palace of a sovereign but a building dedicated to the meetings of the various councils and assemblies of the oligarchy governing the republic of Venice. The Doge, elected leader of this oligarchy, occupies, as a tenant, the rather modest private apartments. What a contrast with Versailles under Louis XIV!
The Palazzo Ducale is essentially a building in with each organ of public administration and government is housed within its own specific premises.
The functions of government, justice and administration explain probably that serious and dark decoration. No place here for fantasy.
What a tremendous contrast between the interior of the Palazzo and the cheerfulness of Venice and the festive mood of the Venetians especially in the period of Carnival which in the 18th century would last several months. Address: Palazzo Ducale
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 Palazzo ducale - Southern
facade by breughel
Indeed when we approach by the lagoon, the best way for a first contact, we are struck by what the architects call an "inversion of masses".
The bottom of the southern facade of the 15th century, overlooking St. Mark’s Basin, with the open arches of the portico, the fine columns of the loggia in late Gothic style with delicate carvings, is lighter than the upper part formed by a wall of white and pink marble panels with the balcony and only six windows.
This inversion of the masses surprises the amateur of the Gothic style as used in the civil architecture of the countries of the North of Europe. See for example the city halls of Brussels, Leuven or Oudenaarde in Belgium.
Here according to a classic Gothic tradition of construction the buildings are lighter at the upper part.
The magnificent western facade which looks onto the Piazzetta is in the same late or flowery Gothic style and is based on the same architectural principle: more openings in the lower part than in the upper part of the facade.
Notice on the left side the two fine red marble columns of the loggia: it is there that were proclaimed the judgments of persons condemned to death.
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 Tintoretto in Palazzo
Ducale by breughel
Je crois que ce décor sérieux, parfois sombre résulté de la fonctionnalité même de ce palais.
Il ne s'agit pas ici du palais d'un souverain mais bien d'un bâtiment consacré aux réunions des différents conseils et assemblées de cette oligarchie qu'est la république de Venise. Oligarchie dont le chef élu le doge occupe à titre de locataire des appartements privés plutôt modestes.
Quel contraste avec Versailles sous Louis XIV!
Le Palazzo Ducale est essentiellement un bâtiment à fonction de gouvernement, justice et administration ce qui explique probablement un décor sérieux et sombre en rapport avec la fonction.
Le contraste entre ce décor intérieur et la gaieté de Venise et des Vénitiens est encore plus saisissant en période de Carnaval qui au XVIIIe siècle durait plusieurs mois.
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 Façade côté Piazzetta by breughel
En effet lorsqu'on approche par la lagune, la meilleure façon pour un premier contact, on est frappé par ce que les architectes appellent une "inversion des masses". La partie inférieure de la façade du XVe siècle, qui donne sur le bassin de St Marc, avec les arcades du portique, les fines colonnes de la loggia aux dentelles de pierre de style gothique tardif, est plus légère que la partie haute constitué d'une muraille de panneaux en marbre blanc et rose avec le balcon et seulement six fenêtres.
Cette inversion des masses surprend l'amateur de style gothique habitué à l'architecture civile des pays du Nord. Voyez par exemple les hôtels de ville de Bruxelles, Leuven ou Oudenaarde en Belgique dont les masses s'allègent de la base vers le toit selon une tradition gothique classique.
Le style gothique tardif ou fleuri se retrouve dans la magnifique façade occidentale qui donne sur la Piazzetta. Elle est basée sur le même principe architectural: les vides l'emportent dans le bas contrairement à la construction traditionnelle.
Remarquez, à gauche, les deux fines colonnes en marbre rouge de la loggia: c'est là qu'étaient proclamées les sentences de mort des condamnés.
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The name of this room "Sala dello Scudo" finds its origin in the fact that the coat of arms of the governing doge was exposed here. The presently exposed coat of arms is the one of Ludovico Manin, last doge of the Republic before the fall in 1797.
This large room is actually better known by a great decoration with maps and, in the centre of the room, two remarkable revolving globes with the celestial sphere on one and the terrestrial sphere on the other.
The original maps on the walls by Giovan Baptist Ramusio (author of the map with Italy and the Mediterranean,1483), from the Greek Giovanni Domenico Zorzi (anterior Asia) and from the cartographer Giacomo Gastaldi (Turkey and Egypt, Marco Polo's Asia) were renewed by the cartographer Francesco Grisellini (1672) who added other paintings with the description of the trips of the most famous Venetian explorers: Nicolò and Anthony Zen who went to Greenland.
I was perplexed when I read on the map of North-America that the natives were anthropophagi's!
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The gateway between Doge's Palace and the Basilica di San Marco, Porta della Carta – Portal of Paper, referring to nearby state archives, the 15th century gate, forms the monumental main entrance to Palazzo Ducale – Doge's Palace courtyard. The portal was carved from 1438 to 1442 by Venetian sculptors and architects Giovanni Bon and his son Bartolomeo. It is remarkable for its rich sculptural decoration and surface ornamentation. Other artists who contributed to construction of the portal were Juraj Dalmatinac, Pietro Lamberti and Antonio Bregno.
The sculptural group above the architrave represents the Doge Francesco Foscari kneeling before the Lion of St Mark. It was carved by Luigi Ferrari in the 19th century to replace a lost original, of which only the severely damaged Head of Francesco Foscari is preserved and displayed in Museum of the Doge's Palace. Leave a Comment
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 Shadow Cast on Stairway
Doge's Palace by jlee008
You might wonder why you should visit the Correr Museum first before coming to this grand palazzo. The reason you should visit the Correr (on the opposite side of Piazza San Marco from San Marco) is because the ticket that you buy there will get you into the Correr and Doge's Palace. It is helpful because the lines at Doge's are significantly longer than the ones at Correr, especially during high tourist volume times of the year. Once you have the ticket, you can go into the side entrance of Doge's Palace without having to wait with the hordes of people.
If you get there before opening time and before the queues become intolerably long, you will also make out quite well.
HOURS:
March - September 8:30am to 6:00pm daily.
October - February 8:30am to 4:00pm daily.
ADMISSION: 9.50€ (Combination ticket for Correr Museum and Doge's Palace) Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San MarcoPhone: 041 522 4951Directions: VAPORETTO: San Marco Near the mouth of the Grand Canal on Piazza San Marco
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The Palazzo Ducale is placed at the southern side of the piazza San Marco.
The imposing complex with yards and hallways, advice halls and secret rooms served as doge's residence and control centre of the Venetian power.
The rich provision of the building with paintings, naked marble grounds and gilt wood panels, pulls, still today, each visitor, invariably, in its railway.
From the water and from the country accessible, frankly and inviting, it appears directly at the Molo, standing Palazzo Ducale.
Its arcades open with the Porta del Frumeto.
The first construction of the Dogenpalastes, at this place, began in the 9th century.
The Doge Agnello Partecipazio let erected the first fortified residential castle in the year 812.
In the year 976, the people put the Palace and the unmitigated quarter, in the Fleming.
The first palace of stone arose from 1175.
Unknown master builders created a glamorous palace between 1340 and 1550 on huge rust from tree trunks and stone at the water, a luxury place to stay for Doges, a state palace for the aristocracy. Leave a Comment Address: Piazzetta San MarcoPhone: 041 522 49 51Directions: Vaporetto 1 Station: San Marco
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 Palazzo Ducale by Librex
- Audioguide : they are very good, based on PDAs, with a touchscreen and a map of the palace so you dont get lost. However, the battery lasts for only 2 hours and the staff is clear on the fact that they will not replace the unit in case of a dead battery (probably to avoid people sharing an audioguide). Mine died about 15 minutes before the end of the tour and I missed the last couple of rooms. Dont waste too much time, keep moving...
- 'Secret rooms' : I missed this one and I'm quite disappointed. It's a guided tour following a special itinerary in the Palace. In short, you'll see things few people will see. You have to book this tour one day in advance so I suggest you do that if you are interested. Dont expect the staff at the entrance to be really helpful though, they told me to buy my ticket first and then to book the tour. Guess what? It does not work this way.. All travelguides will mention this tour so I guess it was worth it... Leave a Comment Address: Piazza San MarcoDirections: If you miss the Palazzo Ducale, it's because you arent in Venice..
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From here, the vast Venetian republic was ruled. The grandeur of the building seems to express the former power and prosperity the Republic. The pink and white marble that make up the exterior, and the gothic/renaissance/Venetian architecture give the Palace a demanding presence over the piazza and water. Clearly impressive to those travelers, tradesmen, or diplomats seeing this as one of their first shots of the city when arriving by boat.
This is where the Doge, ruler of Venice, lived. Much more than that, the Doges Palace is where the republics laws and decisions where made, where “the great Council” met, where prisoners were judged, and much more.
A tour of the palace will get you inside which is a museum in itself, an exercise in excessive ornamentation, with numerous works of art by Venice’s top artists. The “Secret itinerary” tour takes you through hidden passageways and into the Doges secret apartments and torture chamber. (the tours are about 14 euro)
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