The Palazzo Ducale is sited close to the Basilica di San Marco and has been evolving into its present shape since around 1340. The main body of the building was built on a medieval base. The Palazzo has been destroyed many times including a fire in 1106. Barbarossa rebuilt the Palazzo in 1177, but it is more than a palace; the whole area comprises the apartments of the Doge (often used as an exhibition space), the government quarters and the courts.
