The Palazzo Ducale or Doges Palace was the residence of the Doge – the elected ruler of Venice and the seat of government for over a thousand years. The palace is the second most visited attraction in Venice next to St Mark’s Basilica and is an absolute must-see to appreciate the history of the city. The palace dominates St Mark’s Square and the canal with its rose pink façade and lacy architecture known as Venetian Gothic.

The building is a feat of extraordinary engineering, given its size and the fact it is built on stilts. The leader of the Republic lived here, the Great Council of the Venetian Republic met here, laws were made, justice dispensed and even the state prison was part of the palace. To make a modern comparison, this one building represents the houses of parliament, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London all rolled into one.