Editing Doge's Palace (section)

==History==
{{Main articles|History of the Doge's Palace in Venice}}
[[File:MZK 001 Nr 09 Eine Ansicht des Dogenpalastes - Fig. 01 Ende 14. Jhdt.jpg|thumb|Drawing of the Doge's Palace, late 14th century]]
In 810, Doge [[Agnello Participazio]] moved the seat of government from the island of [[Malamocco]] to the area of the present-day [[Rialto]], when it was decided a ''palatium duci'' ([[Latin]] for "ducal palace") should be built. However, no trace remains of that 9th-century building as the palace was partially destroyed in the 10th century by a fire set by citizens rebelling against Doge [[Pietro IV Candiano]]. The following reconstruction works were undertaken at the behest of Doge [[Sebastiano Ziani]] (1172–1178). A great reformer, he would drastically change the entire layout of the [[Piazza San Marco|St. Mark's Square]]. The new palace was built out of fortresses, one façade to the Piazzetta, the other overlooking the St. Mark's Basin. Although only few traces remain of that palace, some [[Venetian Gothic architecture|Byzantine-Venetian architecture]] characteristics can still be seen at the ground floor, with the wall base in [[Istrian stone]] and some [[Herringbone pattern|herring-bone pattern]] brick paving.

Political changes in the mid-13th century led to the need to re-think the palace's structure due to the considerable increase in the number of the [[Great Council of Venice|Great Council]]'s members. The new Gothic palace's constructions started around 1340, focusing mostly on the side of the building facing the lagoon. Only in 1424 did Doge [[Francesco Foscari]] decide to extend the rebuilding works to the wing overlooking the Piazzetta, serving as law-courts, and with a ground-floor arcade on the outside, open first-floor loggias running along the façade, and the internal courtyard side of the wing, completed with the construction of the Porta della Carta (1442).

In 1483, a violent fire broke out in the side of the palace overlooking the canal, where the Doge's Apartments were. Once again, an important reconstruction became necessary and was commissioned from [[Antonio Rizzo (architect)|Antonio Rizzo]], who would introduce the new [[Renaissance]] language to the building's architecture. An entire new structure was raised alongside the canal, stretching from the Ponte della Canonica to the [[Ponte della Paglia]], with the official rooms of the government decorated with works commissioned from [[Vittore Carpaccio]], [[Giorgione]], [[Alvise Vivarini]] and [[Giovanni Bellini]].

Another huge fire in 1547 destroyed some of the rooms on the second floor, but fortunately without undermining the structure as a whole. Refurbishment works were being held at the palace when in 1577 a third fire destroyed the Scrutinio Room and the Great Council Chamber, together with works by [[Gentile da Fabriano]], [[Pisanello]], Alvise Vivarini, Vittore Carpaccio, Giovanni Bellini, [[Pordenone]], and [[Titian]]. In the subsequent rebuilding work it was decided to respect the original [[Gothic style]], despite the submission of neo-classical alternative designs by the influential [[Renaissance]] architect [[Andrea Palladio]]. However, there are some classical features – for example, since the 16th century, the palace has been linked to the prison by the [[Bridge of Sighs]].

As well as being the ducal residence, the palace housed political institutions of the Republic of Venice until the [[Fall of the Republic of Venice|Napoleonic occupation of the city]] in 1797, when its role inevitably changed. Venice was subjected first to French rule, then to [[Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia|Austrian]], and finally in 1866 [[Risorgimento|it became part]] of Italy. Over this period, the palace was occupied by various administrative offices as well as housing the [[Biblioteca Marciana]] and other important cultural institutions within the city.

[[File:Venice panorama with gondola - DPLA - d54da643b6be92b1e5bcc5701a81b719.jpg|thumb|View of Doge's Palace, Campanile and San Marco Square from the Grand Canal. ca. 1870–1890]]
By the end of the 19th century, the structure was showing clear signs of decay, and the Italian government set aside significant funds for its restoration and all public offices were moved elsewhere, with the exception of the State Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments, which is still housed at the palace's loggia floor. In 1923, the Italian State, owner of the building, entrusted the management to the Venetian municipality to be run as a museum. Since 1996, the Doge's Palace has been part of the Venetian museums network, which has been under the management of the [[Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia]] since 2008.