Right after coming out of Saint Mark’s Basilica I lined up to get into the Doge’s Palace. Here the line was already a bit longer. I might have waited seven minutes. The Palace looks absolutely impressive from the outside as well as the inside.
The Doge’s Palace @Venice
I have another picture of the palace which I took from the top of the Campanile. You can’t see the whole of the place but it shows enough so that you can estimate the dimensions. This is one huge place.
looking down on the Doge’s Palace @Venice
The courtyard inside is gorgeous and the exit is right next to the Basilica. The church had to be close since it was the former chapel of the Doge.
exit next to the Basilica of the Doge’s Palace @Venice
courtyard of the Doge’s Palace with the Basilica in the back @Venice
a close-up of the stairs @The Doge’s Palace
The Palace is nowadays a museum and it takes a while to walk though all the rooms. Personally I found the cambers most interesting, some of these rooms have unbelievable dimensions. The tour started by walking along an endless corridor and then entering the formal rooms through a very set of stairs. Check out the ceiling of these stairs.
walking along a corridor @The Doge’s Palace
walking up the stairs to the state rooms @Venice
The walls of the rooms are full of paintings but it’s the ceilings again to which you should raise your gaze. They are most impressive!
one of the many ceilings in the Palace @Venice
or this ceiling with gold frames @The Doge’ Palace
Also the doors inside attest to a grandeur which is unknown to us by now. Whoever wants to have a pillar and sculptures on his door today?
a door within the Palace @Venice
But it was a room like this which left me speechless. The sheer size of it and then all these paintings. Quite overwhelming all this shine.
state room with the Palace @Venice
What the Doge Palace is known for though is the bridge of sighs. The prisoners saw the sky the last time from it before they were left to rot in the dungeons.
Bridge of Sighs @Venice
one more look through the Bridge of Sighs @Venice
The visit to the Doge’s Palace is a most pleasurable pastime. It’s a look back in history with a lot of glamour. Yours, Pollybert
