Facing the Biblioteca Marciana, adjacent to the Basilica San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale commands a preeminent place in the geography of Venice. The palace served as the Doge’s residence until 1797, when the city fell to Napoleon’s forces. (...)
Facing the Biblioteca Marciana, adjacent to the Basilica San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale commands a preeminent place in the geography of Venice. The palace served as the Doge’s residence until 1797, when the city fell to Napoleon’s forces. French occupation of the city also ended the palazzo’s role as a central political and civic office; under Republican Venice, the building had housed government agencies such as the courts of law, civil administration, interrogation rooms, and, before they were moved to the nearby Piombi building, prisons. Construction of the palace began in the early 14th century, though work did not end until 1424, and significant architectural additions to the original structure continued through the late 16th century.
