The Doge’s Palace (Palazzo Ducale) was the home of the Doge of Venice. It’s located on Piazza San Marco in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Venice, Italy.
History
The original palace was built in 810 but it was destroyed by a fire in the 10th century. Construction on the current palace began around 1172 under Doge Sebastiani Ziani, but only traces of the original design exist as the palace was refurbished and extended beginning in 1340.
Visiting
Visitors can retrace the steps of the Doges for a €25 ticket purchased online at least 30 days in advance, or €30 otherwise. The ticket also gives access to other museums on St. Mark’s Square (as of August 2023). Holders of the Museum Pass get free entry.
Two special guided tours are available. The Secret Itineraries Tour takes visitors deeper into the palace into rooms where administrative work of the Venetian government took place. The Doge’s Hidden Treasures Tour visits the Doge’s private rooms in the wing of the Doge’s Palace adjacent to the Saint Mark’s Basilica. Both are very popular and should be booked online well ahead of time. They both cost €32 (as of August 2023) and include admission to the rest of the palace. The tours lasts about 75 minutes and is presented in English several times a day. Unfortunately, they were fully booked on our days in Venice.
When we visited, the Doge’s apartments were closed to the public. The following posts break down what we were able to see in the order of our visit: