Sid and Claudia didn't miss much when they skipped the glass factory tour, but the Doge's Palace is really something to see.  That's it on the left.

From what I understand, a "Doge" was the Venetian head of state when Venice was one of the many city states in Italy. 

And this is where he lived and worked.  City hall.  The courthouse.

Very impressive.

This is a Tintoretto.  Forgive me, but every time I hear the name "Tintoretto" I think of Jane Fonda in "Cat Ballou."  See, what happened was .... oh, never mind.

The Doge lived in a nice house.

With an impressive courtyard.

And a backdoor entrance to the Bridge of Sighs.  This is the route the condemned prisoners took the gallows.

Pretty impressive bars on the windows.  Nobody was getting out.

Sigh.

Cells all along the way.

It's dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew.

Would you just look at the tourists!

Last view for the condemned.

The Doge's courtyard.

I think the Venetians wanted to build the most beautiful city in the world.  And I also think they just might have succeeded.