Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace), Venice (must see)

Built on the remains of a 9th-century fortress, this palace didn’t just host power—it defined it. For its time, it was arguably the finest secular building in Europe, serving as the Doge's residence, headquarters of the Venetian government, court of law, civil administration, and, when things went badly, a prison, too. Indeed, back in the day, in Venice, politics, justice, and daily life all shared the same address...

The first version of the palace took shape in the 14th century. Sadly, two centuries later, its major sections went up in flames, taking with them countless artworks. To this, Venice responded the only way it knew how—by calling in the best. Tintoretto, Veronese, Titian, Bellini, and Tiepolo all contributed to rebuilding the palace’s visual identity, covering it once again with gilded stucco, sculpture, frescoes, and monumental paintings. What you see today is not a simple restoration, but a carefully staged comeback.

From the outside, the palace blends Byzantine elegance with Gothic rhythm. Inside, the mood shifts toward classical order and theatrical scale. Art critic John Ruskin once famously called it “the central building of the world,” and being inside, it’s easy to see why. The Grand Council Chamber stops most visitors mid-sentence, dominated by Tintoretto’s Paradise, generally accepted as the largest oil painting ever made. Nearby, the Voting Hall wraps Venice’s political ambitions in paintings celebrating its victories and naval dominance.

Then comes the contrast. Cross to the other side of the canal, and the tone darkens quickly. The prison cells tell a harsher story of justice in medieval Venice. They are linked to the palace by the Bridge of Sighs, named for the sounds the prisoners reportedly made as they caught their last glimpse of freedom before facing interrogation, torture, or worse...

If you want the full picture, the infrared audio guide at the entrance is worth your time. It adds context, political drama, and human detail to a building that governed a maritime empire for over a thousand years.

And finally, a footnote that reads like fiction—but is not. In 1755, Giacomo Casanova himself was imprisoned here, accused of offending religion and public morals. Locked beneath the lead roof, enduring crushing heat and relentless fleas, he spent 15 long months plotting his escape. Eventually, he succeeded—lowering himself through a hole in the ceiling and vanishing into the night. Casanova thus remains the only person ever to escape this prison.

One last tip: book ahead for the “Secret Itinerary” tour. It opens doors that are normally closed—private chambers, interrogation rooms, hidden corridors, and the very cells once occupied by Casanova...