The Doge's Fine Palace
1422 AD
1422 1422
12.18E45.25N
ARC

VENICE, ITALY
	Knowing how strong the temptation was to build a grander building to house the seat of its government, the conservative Venetian Senate passed a law that not only prohibited the Doge's Palace from being rebuilt, but forbade anybody to even discuss the possibility -- on penalty of a stiff fine.
	But in 1422, three years after a fire damaged the building, Doge (Duke) Tomaso Mocenigo carted 1000 ducats into the Senate Chamber to pay the penalty, then proposed the palace be rebuilt. And it was.
	The palace was originally built by Doge Agnello Participazio in 813 AD when the seat of the Venetian government was first established on Rialto Island. Initially it was built in the Byzantine style, but at the beginning of the 14th Century it was completely rebuilt in Gothic style, and finally was given Renaissance additions.
	The palace, in the shape of a hollow square, has a facing of Gothic-style arches supported by columns featuring various secular and sacred themes at their tops, or capitals.
	At three corners of the building are Biblical scenes depicting man's sins and strengths. At one corner is a sculptural representation of the Fall of Man, at another is a depiction of Noah drunk with wine, and at the third is King Solomon wisely settling a dispute between two women.
