Palazzo Ducale: Courtyard

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Today we enter the courtyard through the Porta del Frumento (Gate of Wheat), which is located in the oldest wing of the palace, on the south side. But the official entrance was through the Porta della Carta (Gate of Paper), which leads to the Scala dei Giganti. 

The Giants' Staircase, which was the ceremonial entrance to the Palazzo Ducale, was constructed at the end of the 15th century by Antonio Rizzo. The staircase is dominated by two magnificent statues of Mars and Neptune, the work of Jacopo Sansovino (1565), which symbolise Venice's power on both land and sea. It was at the top of these stairs that a new doge was crowned. 

The façades of the two oldest wings (south and west) are simple and severe, while the façade of the Renaissance wing (east) is much more ornate. The north side is closed by the junction between the palace and St Mark's Basilica. 

​The centre of the courtyard is graced by two exceptionally beautiful bronze well-heads (vere da pozzo), which were cast in the middle of the 16th century. The well-heads are the work of Nicolò de Conti and Alfonso Alberghetti.

Scala dei Giganti

Vera da pozzo