Doge's Palace Artworks

This part of the palace was far away from luxury and comfort and was the most dreaded place in the entire palace. The Chamber of Torment was used to take confessions out of the prisoners by torturing them till they give up. Prisoners were first kept in a room next to this chamber from where they could hear painful screams of other prisoners. In reality, paid actors were called to scream in order to increase the fear level of the prisoners. Inside the chamber, prisoners were pulled by their arms that were tied behind their backs. This kept on going till they used to give up and confess.

Witness one of the finest Doge’s Palace artworks, the Grand Staircase or Scala Dei Giganti, meaning ‘giant stairway’ in Italian. Built after the destructive fire of 1483, this staircase has a major historical significance. The coronation ceremonies of the newly elected doges used to take place right at the top of this staircase. You will find two lifelike statues on two opposite ends of the staircase. One statue is of Poseidon, representing Venice’s coastal trade power and the other is of Mars, representing the political power of the trading empire. Between these two statues, you can see a winged lion that is a symbol of Venice’s patron saint, St. Mark. 

You can call the Great Council Chamber the heart of the palace and it is one of the largest rooms in Europe. This chamber played a significant role as this was where the Senate would make decisions regarding financial matters and take care of public concerns. Additionally, this chamber was also used to conduct the first phase of the elections for the new doges. You can also witness one of the largest oil paintings of the world in this chamber. This painting by Tintoretto has been named the ‘Paradise’ and it covers the ceilings of the chamber. It depicts heaven on Earth and it was believed that its purpose was to make sure the council was making an appropriate decision. 

The Bridge of Sighs is one of the most striking Doge’s Palace artworks and also one of the most photographed locations in Venice. The bridge was built in 1602 with beautiful white limestones and embellished with ornate decorations. The name comes from the fact that prisoners used to sigh as they crossed this bridge, right before their death, knowing that it would be their last glimpse of the world. This beautiful bridge also connects two contrasting realities of the palace. On one end of the bridge, you will see the luxurious palace and on the other side of the bridge, you will see a dark, poorly ventilated and reeking prison.

Contrary to the comfort and luxury of the rest of the palace, the Chamber of Torment is one of the most spine-chilling rooms. As the name suggests, the Chamber of Torment was the room where prisoners were tortured till they confessed to their crimes. Before the interrogation process, the prisoners were asked to wait in a room next to the chamber. The prisoners used to wait in complete darkness from where they could hear the painful screams of other prisoners being tormented to confess. In reality, these were imitated voices by hired actors to increase the level of fear among the prisoners. Inside the chamber, the hands of the prisoners were tied behind their backs and then pulled harshly, causing them extreme pain. The torment continued till they confessed to their crimes.

You will be surprised to see the small size of the Doge’s apartment in this lavish facility. The room was intentionally kept smaller to remind the Doge to be modest and that his only duty was to serve the Republic of Venice. After the fire of 1483, the room was rebuilt in Renaissance style. The Doge’s apartment now has wooden ceilings, and marble chimneys and is decorated with paintings. The practice was that the Doge would bring his furniture and other necessary items from his home to the palace. After the demise of the Doge, his family members would take away his personal belongings and make space for the new Doge. 

The Doge’s Palace has gone under renovation a lot of times due to constant destruction by fire. To take care of these maintenance and renovations, a technical office was set up inside the palace, ‘the Opera’. During the mid 19th century, the palace was in dire need of restoration which led to the beginning of the restoration plan in 1876. In this plan, many of the art pieces were taken and preserved in the museum or the Museo Dell’Opera. All the capitals that were in bad shape were replaced with copies while the originals were preserved in the museum.

Get ready to be amazed by the world’s richest staircase, The Golden Staircase, also known as the Scala d’Oro. Designed by Jacopo Sansovino, this magnificent staircase is one of the most stunning Doge’s Palace Artworks. It is called the ‘Golden Staircase’ as there is stunning work of gold stucco on the ceiling of these stairs that gives it the ultimate lavish appearance. They are designed in a classic Roman style that displays the wealth of the Republic of Venice.

The Sala delle Quattro Porte was a grand hall of the Doge’s Palace that includes the popular Four Doors. There are four doors in four corners of the hall, each surmounted by different symbolic sculptures that hold different virtues that a Dodge should have. These doors were designed by four different architects, namely, Alessandro Vittoria, Giulio del Moro, Francesco Castelli, and Girolamo Campagna. There are canvas paintings behind each of these sculptures in all four corners painted in monochrome colours. 

The Senate Hall is another captivating Doge’s Palace artworks that played an extremely significant role in the history of the palace. This hall was where the Senate of the Republic used to meet and make important decisions regarding financial matters or other public concerns. The room is decorated with beautiful paintings depicting mythological scenes, symbolic motifs and grand architecture. Some of the popular works that visitors can see in this room include The Apotheosis of Venice and The Rape of Europa. 

Another extremely significant hall that includes stunning Doge’s Palace artworks is the Sala dello Scrutinio or the Scrutiny Room. This grand hall is where the election for the position of a Doge would take place and it is decorated by a marvellous collection of paintings. Many beautiful art pieces by the renowned artist Veronese can be seen in this hall like The Allegory of Good Government and The Triumph of Venice. These paintings that add to the beauty of the hall depict the wealth and power of the Venetian Republic.