Palazzo Ducale di Venezia
The Palazzo Ducale, or Doge's Palace, was a large, palace adjoining the Basilica di San Marco, in Venice.
Built to protect the Doge, the ruler, of Venice; the Palazzo Ducale was an imposing structure with high, unscalable walls and a guarded main entrance. The palace not only housed the Doge, but also served as a prison of sorts, as they rarely left the building's walls.
In 1485, a Templar plot to gain the allegiance of the Doge of Venice – Giovanni Mocenigo – had turned to one of assassination, with Carlo Grimaldi chosen to poison him within the Doge's own chambers. The Assassins utilised Leonardo da Vinci's Flying Machine in order to bypass the palace's high walls altogether.
Following the death of Giovanni and his successor, Marco Barbarigo, Agostino Barbarigo became Doge, and continue to utilise the Palazzo Ducale as his personal residence.
Trivia
- As well as the Palazzo Medici, you cannot access this building by climbing to the top. You can only access this building in one part of the game, which is the Assassination of Carlo Grimaldi, and using Leonardo's Flying Machine.
- Although it is designed to be impenetrable, there are some videos showing a way to get inside. The easiest way is to climb to the top of the viewpoint in the southeast corner of the San Marco district, where you and Antonio go while scouting out the Palazzo, then use the air-walking glitch (walk off the edge of a building while holding the Weapon Hand button with Throwing Knives equipped, unavailable if you've downloaded the code patch) while on the roof to walk across. If you time it right you should be able to grab onto the edge of the roof and haul yourself up. Note that it is possible, but more difficult, to pull this same trick off from the wooden platform lower down on the same viewpoint tower, and that if you do you will not take falling damage when you hit the roof.