The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in Venice used to be the administrative centre, hall of justice and prison for the old Venetian republic. It’s striking on the outside, but the inside is even better! Highlights inside include the Great Council Chamber, the Sala del Senato hall, a network of prison cells, the Doge’s apartments and the impressive Golden Staircase. The palace was the official residence of the 120 “Doges” who ruled Venice from 697 to 1797.
The palace is part of a series of significant buildings forming a complex around St Mark’s Square. The Palace has pride of place overlooking the lagoon, but is linked to St Mark’s Basilica next door. There’s a lovely hidden courtyard between the two (pictured below) and the Basilica was originally the Doge’s chapel. The oldest part of the palace is the frontage overlooking the lagoon, which dates back to 1340, other wings were then added through the years.
Adult admission to the Doge’s Palace costs 25 Euros when booked in advance and the enhanced “Secret Itineries” tour mentioned above is 32 Euros (2025 prices). This tour includes the general palace admission price however. The palace is open daily from 9am to 7pm and the “Secret Itineries” tour is available from 9am to 1pm daily. To ‘Skip the Line’ at the Doge’s Palace, you could take the Venice Walking Tour which is led by an experienced guide.
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale), St Mark’s Square, 31024 Venice, Italy.
Tel: +39 041 271 5911
MORE ON THE DOGE’S PALACE
Hotels near the Doge’s Palace & St Mark’s Square – Great rates from Hotels.com
Doge’s Palace – Wikipedia
Venice Guide Books – Amazon