The Palace of Doges is a well known palace located in Venice, in the northern part of Italy, famous for being the home place of the chief magistrate and the former most important authority of the Venetian Republic, the Doge of Venice.

The structure is believed to have been built over the fortified earlier buildings, initially resembling a castle due to its appearance with four sighting towers alongside the four great defensive walls, most likely being designed by architect Filippo Calendario and built during the period 1309 – 1424. The architectural style illustrates many the Gothic concepts, the style of architecture that was famous during the high and late medieval period. After a fire incident that led to the almost complete destruction of the structure in December 1577, the reconstruction process was meant to respect the initial Gothic style, but several classical features can be observed, such as the former prison in the Doge’s Palace, known as Piombi, which was located directly under the roof of the palace. Contrary to its huge size, the multi-coloured facade decorations of the building offer a splendid view of an imposing, yet sublime building. In addition to its major function as being the ducal residence, the structure also hosted many important political institutions of the Republic of Venice until the year 1797, when Napoleon’s troops took over the city.

Today the structure is preserved as an important touristic attraction, being a famous museum where visitors can admire the works of artists such as Italian painter Jacopo Comin (known as Tintoretto) or the Renaissance artist Paolo Veronese. The design of the Gothic style which is a landmark of the Doge’s Palace has inspired the design of numerous other buildings, such as the Hall of Doges at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington or the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, a luxury hotel and casino resort located in Las Vegas Strip.