Palazzo Ducale di Venezia
The Palazzo Ducale (English: Doge's Palace) is a large palace in Venice, Italy, adjoining the Basilica di San Marco. Built to protect the Doge of Venice, the Palazzo Ducale was an imposing structure with high, unscalable walls and a guarded main entrance.
History[edit | edit source]
The Palazzo Ducale was constructed from 1309 to 1424, in the Gothic style, as the residence of the Doge, or, rather, his prison, since the Doge was rarely allowed to leave once elected.[1]
In 1476, the Assassin Giovanni Auditore da Firenze travelled to the palace following the trails of individuals responsible for the assassination of Galeazzo Maria Sforza. There, he eavesdropped on a meeting between Marco Barbarigo and a courier, who was instructed to deliver a letter to their master in Rome.[2]
In 1485, a Templar plot to gain the allegiance of the current Doge of Venice, Giovanni Mocenigo, turned to one of assassination, with Carlo Grimaldi chosen to poison the Doge within his own chambers. The Assassins utilized Leonardo da Vinci's Flying Machine to gain access to the Palazzo, since the building was impossible to climb or otherwise penetrate. However, the Assassin Ezio Auditore arrived too late to save Doge Mocenigo, and avenged his death by killing Grimaldi as the latter attempted to flee the Palazzo.[3]
Following Mocenigo's death, he was succeeded as Doge by Marco Barbarigo. Fearful of the Assassins, Marco fortified himself inside the Palazzo Ducale, only leaving it on special occasions, such as Carnevale.[4] Following Marco's assassination by Ezio during the 1486 Carnevale,[5] the position of Doge passed to his younger brother Agostino Barbarigo, who similarly used the Palazzo as his personal residence.[6]
In May 1519, members of the local chapter of the Assassins visited the Palazzo[7] as part of their search for the clues to the havens Leonardo da Vinci hid in the city.[8] There, the Assassins tailed a steward to a room where he kept a record of affairs tha most worried the Doges, with the current topic on vogue dealing with the printing of licentious works by modern typographical techniques.[9] In the room, there were a number of incunables, including a copy of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili that had the mark for Aldine Press.[10] Recognizing the mark and flipping through the book revealed a note from Leonardo as as well as a map of Europe and the Mediterranean.[11]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
In Assassin's Creed II, the Palazzo Ducale is intended to be inaccessible outside the memory "Infrequent Flier", but it is possible to get inside using glitches.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
The inner Palazzo -
The exterior of the Palazzo from across the Piazzetta -
Giovanni Auditore before the Palazzo
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed: Lineage (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed II
- Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci
- Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR (mentioned in Database entry only)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Database: Palazzo Ducale di Venezia
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Lineage
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Infrequent Flier
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Nun the Wiser
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Having a Blast
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Database: Agostino Barbarigo
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci – Portfolio 29
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci – Card 119
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci – Carnet de voyage 13
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci – Card 086