Doge's Palace in Venice

You're standing at the Doge's Palace, for centuries the heart of the Republic of Venice. The Doge, the city's elected ruler, lived here. But it was also the seat of government, a law court and a prison. Look at the façade. At the bottom, a row of sturdy arches. Above them, a delicate open gallery. And only then the great pink and white wall. It's as if the palace is upside down: light below, heavy on top. This is Venetian Gothic at its finest.