Timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 9th century | The palace's origins, according to MUVE (Wikipedia: built in 810). |
| From 1340 | The wing on St Mark's Basin, the oldest, is rebuilt. |
| From 1424 | The wing towards St Mark's Square takes its present form. |
| 1483 | A fire; the canal-side Renaissance wing, with the Doge's Apartments, is built between 1483 and 1565. |
| 1574 and 1577 | Further fires damage parts of the building and its decoration. |
| 1539 | The State Inquisitors are set up to protect state secrets. |
| 17th century | The New Prisons are built and linked to the palace by the Bridge of Sighs. |
| 1797 | The last doge, Ludovico Manin, abdicates. |
| 1923 | The Italian state, owner of the building, asks the city to run it as a public museum. |
| 1996 | The palace joins the Civic Museums of Venice (MUVE). |
Three wings, three eras
The palace you see today has three wings: the Gothic one on the lagoon, the oldest; the one on the Piazzetta; and the Renaissance wing along the canal, with the Doge's private apartments and many government offices.
Who lived and worked here
The doge lived in his apartments in the canal-side wing, which also housed many government offices. The Republic's councils met in the institutional chambers, and the prisons were in the same complex, later extended across the canal by the New Prisons.
See the rooms on the rooms and paintings page and the prisons on the prisons and Bridge of Sighs page.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Doge's Palace built?
Its origins date back to the 9th century. The oldest wing, on the lagoon, was rebuilt from 1340, the Piazzetta wing from 1424, and the canal wing between 1483 and 1565.
Who lived in the Doge's Palace?
The doge, in the apartments of the canal-side wing; the palace also housed the Republic's government offices and prisons.
Who was the last doge?
Ludovico Manin, who abdicated in 1797.
When did it become a museum?
In 1923; since 1996 it has been part of the Civic Museums of Venice.
Is Palazzo Ducale the same as the Doge's Palace?
Yes: Palazzo Ducale is its Italian name.
Sources
- Doge's Palace: building and history — checked on 27 October 2026
- Doge's Palace: special itineraries (State Inquisitors) — checked on 27 October 2026
- Wikipedia: Doge's Palace — checked on 27 October 2026