How to visit and what to see in the Doge's Palace of Venice: schedules, prices

One of the great monuments that is a must visit in your trip to Venice is Ducal Palace, which you find in the small square (St. Mark's Square) that connects the Venetian lagoon to the great St. Mark's Square.

El Ducal Palace It is a very nice building Gothic style, which throughout history was the headquarters of the Government of the Republic of Venice, courthouse and residence of Dux, highest authority of the aforementioned republic.

If you arrive in ferry along the Grand Canal, one of the best ways to access the emblematic St. Mark's Square, the first large building that you will find on the shores of the lagoon is precisely the Ducal Palace.

In this regard, I can tell you that if you visit Venice during a cruise, the ferry where you will get on the Maritime station It will leave you right in front of the aforementioned Venetian palace.

In the St. Mark's Square in front of the palace you can see the columns of San Marcos and San Teodoro and the adjacent building is the spectacular St Mark's Basilica.

Curiosities history of the Doge's Palace of Venice

Looking ahead to your visit, you are interested in knowing that the Republic of Venice It was valid from the 1797th century until XNUMX.

Initially it was a city ​​State, but soon its power expanded to other regions of the Adriatic Sea, becoming one of the main commercial powers in the world.

Its decline began in the 16th century, until the Venetian Republic was finally defeated by Napoleon.

El Doge's Palace in Venice It was initially a fortress built in the 9th century, but a subsequent fire meant that the building had to be rebuilt, which happened at the end of the 14th century.

The result is a building of Gothic style which has great architectural beauty.

A tip is that, prior to your visit, you sit on one of the terraces located in front of the main façade of the Doge's Palace, In the St. Mark's piazzetta.

From there you can calmly enjoy this spectacular work of art of gothic architecture.

You will surely be impressed by the pink veronese marble used for its construction, for its porticoed colonnade on which the entire building rests, and, especially, for the spectacular nature of the Letter Holder.

What to see when visiting the Doge's Palace in Venice

If you prefer to visit on your own, below I am going to highlight the most important corners.

Porta della Carta in Doge's Palace in Venice

With the name of Letter Holder It is known what has historically been the main access door to the Doge's Palace in Venice.

Built in the 15th century, curiously today it is the door through which you will exit your visit of the Doge's Palace.

The current entrance for visitors is located on the façade facing the lagoon.

In the times of the Republic of Venice, you accessed the headquarters of your Government, Ducal Palace, through this beautiful door of flamboyant style.

The door leads you under a vaulted arch, and after crossing the Foscari Arch, the Giant's Staircase, which was climbed to reach the great halls of the palace.

Now we do this route just the other way around, at the end of our visit, so I advise seeing this area imagining it with the true direction in which said route was taken.

On top of the Porta della Carta of the Doge's Palace highlights the figure of winged lion of Saint Mark, icon of the city of Venice.

In front of it there is a sculpture that represents the dux Francesco Foscari, who in 1424 commissioned the extension of the palace building to the St Mark's Basilica.

Later, in 1442, the Porta della Carta, also promoted by Foscari.

Scala d'Oro in the Doge's Palace in Venice

One of the most outstanding corners from an artistic point of view is the Golden Staircase (Scala d'Oro), which takes us to the second floor where the large halls of the Ducal Palace.

When you climb this staircase during your essential visit to this Venetian palace, you should pay attention to its sumptuous ceilings.

That's where its name comes from. Golden Staircase, since the vaults were built with golden stucco.

La Scala d'Oro of the Doge's Palace, artistic work of sansovino, was completed in 1558, after the great renovation that was carried out in the palace after the great fire of 1483.

The aforementioned decoration of the vault in golden stucco It was the work of the artist Alessandro Vitoria.

Great Council Room in the Doge's Palace in Venice

The main and largest of the rooms in the Ducal Palace is the huge Great Council Room, located on the second floor of the palace.

In this your visit will be a tour of various rooms where you can see sumptuous decorations with fabrics and paintings, all of them remodeled after the aforementioned great fire.

But among all these official rooms, there is a room that leaves you impressed by its majesty: the Great Council Room (Maggior Consiglio Room).

Previously you will have gone through other rooms, such as the College Room, where he Dux received the ambassadors, Senate room, where he met with the 200 senators, or the Bussola Room, where the accused awaited sentencing.

La Great Council Room At first it will catch your attention due to its enormous dimensions.

In this room of Ducal Palace was where the Great advice for the Republic of Venice It met to approve laws, reaching up to two thousand people.

Furthermore, the Great Council Room It was also used for large banquets with up to three thousand guests in attendance.

Of its enormous dimensions, a good example is the great painting of Tintoretto that occupies one of its walls, El Paraiso, which with its 25 meters long and 7,5 meters high becomes one of the largest paintings in the world.

Giant's Staircase in the Doge's Palace in Venice

Another notable corner of this great Venetian palace is the aforementioned Giant's Staircase, which historically was accessed, as we have mentioned, after entering through the Letter Holder and pass the Foscari Arch.

It is the most outstanding architectural element of the central courtyard of the Doge's Palace in Venice.

La Giant's Staircase It is a large staircase made at the end of the 15th century by Antonio Rizzo for whose construction he used the characteristic Venetian white marble.

This large staircase receives its name because on both sides of its upper part, at the access to the second floor, two large sculptures of Mars y Neptuno sculpted by sansovino in 1567.

On the landing between the «Giants» was where at the time of the Republic of Venice was crowned Dux.

This architectural and sculptural complex gives great ostentation to the courtyard of the Doge's Palace.

Currently, you cannot go up or down the stairs, and you will only really be able to look at it carefully when you finish your trip. visit of the Doge's Palace, since the exit is made precisely through the patio and the Letter Holder.

Bridge of Sighs at Doge's Palace in Venice

One of the most famous corners of Venice is undoubtedly the Bridge of Sighs, which is attached to the Ducal Palace.

Built in 1614, this covered bridge over a narrow canal is the access route from the palace to the dungeons located in the annex building.

Without a doubt it is one of the scenes most photographed by tourists who visit Venice.

Secret itineraries of the Doge's Palace in Venice

Finally, a good way to complete your visit of the Doge's Palace is to sign up for Secret Itineraries tour,

It is a tour in groups of about 15-25 people in different rooms of the Chancellery who have been protagonists of the darkest history of the Republic of Venice.

El Secret Itineraries tour of the Doge's palace in Venice It must be booked in advance, the guided tours being in Italian, French and English, and they last an hour and a quarter.

The visit begins with bedrooms of the Notary of the Duca Palacel, who performed the functions of palace secretary, and then go to the Chancellor's Office, equivalent to General Archive.

After climbing a staircase, you reach the large Secret room of the Chancellery, where during the Republic of Venice The magistrates held secret meetings.

From here, you enter the most interesting area of ​​the visit, the Torture Chamber, in which the rope that hangs from the ceiling and that was used to hold the wrists of the tortured draws attention.

You can also see the cells where he was Giacomo Casanova when he was a prisoner in Doge's Palace in Venice.

After passing through the rooms in the attic, at the height of the Paglia Bridge, where you can see weapons from the 16th century, you reach the Inquisitors' Room, whose ceiling is decorated with works of Tintoretto made in 1567.

El tour of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace ends in the Hall of the Council of Ten, which is reached after crossing a secret passage hidden behind a wooden framework.

Schedule to visit the Doge's Palace of Venice

The Visiting hours of the Doge's Palace of Venice They are, from April to October, from 9 a.m. to 18 p.m. (last access at 18 p.m., and from November to March, from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m.

Venice Doge's Palace ticket prices

The ticket prices to the Doge's Palace in Venice The general rate is 25 euros, with a reduced rate of 13 euros for children from 6 to 14 years old, students from 15 to 25 years old and seniors +65.

El audio guide price it is 5 euros.

Schedules and ticket prices Tour Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace

In turn, the price of the guided tour of the Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace It is 28 euros, and 15 euros at the reduced rate, from which, for example, children up to 14 years old or students up to 29 years old benefit.

Here you can consult the Visiting hours to the Secret Itineraries of the Doge's Palace which is carried out in guided tours in groups in Italian, English and French, so you must choose the language that best suits you.

Once you have the tickets, when you go to the Ducal Palace, you do not have to wait for the possible queue at the entrance to visit the palace, but you have to go to the ticket office to join the corresponding group to make the itineraries.