Doge's Palace

I wanted to visit the Bridge of Sighs and in order to do that we needed to begin our visit in the Doge's Palace. I knew it would be interesting but I was not prepared for how humbled I felt by the grandeur of this place. Truly an unexpected treasure.

This is the inner courtyard, you can only imagine the size of the palace itself. 

 

We began by walking up the giant staircase decorated with two statues of Mars and Neptune on either side, symbolizing the power and dominance of Venice over the sea and the mainland.

 

We were literally ten minutes in to our tour and when I saw the staircase I was giddy. Honestly, I had to focus to keep myself together at this point. I could not grasp the history I was walking into. It is beyond words. In fact, I told my husband, "I'll need to find more adjectives to describe this place." 

Windows at the top of the staircase.