The strength, the wealth and the artistic sensitivity of a population seeps through the palatial architecture that was once the seat of power in Venice. In this respect, the city ruled supreme. The Doge’s Palace, the beating heart of government and justice, reveals to us intricate details of its own history and the history of the Venetian Republic.
Nothing remains of the wooden castle from the ninth century. The building we admire today reflects predominantly Gothic and Renaissance influences, yet one cannot fail to be struck by the magnificent structure overlooking St. Mark’s Basin, lightened by its unmistakeable shade of pink and by the open spaces of the loggia that allow a glimpse of the interior. In the subtle interplay between light and shadow, and half-open niches, we witness a constant change of perspective as if the Bell Tower, the Square, the Basilica and the Doge’s Palace were fused together in a single union.
Doges, judges, eminent guests and even adventurers left their mark, as did its painters, sculptors and architects. Here, important political decisions were made by the sophisticated government machinery of the Republic, yet it was never safe from intrigue, plotting and conspiracies. Today, the voices of the powerful still echo between the walls of this spectacular monument, reminding us of their former glory.
Indeed, such voices of the past can still be heard in the silence of a private visit, after the museum has closed and the din of crowds and groups diminished. You will be whisked back in time, enveloped by the magical, and even surreal, atmosphere.
