Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale)

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Doge's palace, Palazzo Ducale in Italian, is one of the main buildings in Saint Mark's square and one of Venice's most important buildings. The Palace has had many functions throughout the years: it has been a castle, a fortress and a prison.
Its architecture is quite intriguing and it combines elements of Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance style. You can go inside the palace where one of the things that tourists like the most is the Scala d'Oro, a golden staircase that leads to the second floor where the voting rooms, patios and some of the prisons are located.
On the walls of the palace some of the works of such renowned artists as Veronese, Titian and Tintoretto, are exposed. An amazing relic this palace has is 'Paradise', the largest Tintoretto canvas in the world. It is exhibited in the Sala del Maggior Consiglio.
Something quite interesting about the prisons, is the cell where the famous 'Casanova' was held captive. Casanova was an adventurer and writer who traveled throughout Europe in the eighteenth century and registered society's customs in his book “Histoire de ma vie” (Story of My Life). Casanova also became famous for his love affairs and the fact that he escaped prison running across the city's rooftops.
Finally, in Doge's Palace there's also the Bocca di Leone, a mailbox that was used for the Venetians to anonymously report their neighbors if they thought they were doing something illegal and did not want to look like snitches.