Palazzo Ducale in Genoa

You're standing at the Palazzo Ducale, the Doge's Palace of Genoa. For centuries this was where the doge, head of the powerful Republic of Genoa, lived and ruled. Take a look at the big façade on Piazza Matteotti. That crisp, symmetrical front, with its paired columns and two-tone marble, was designed by the Swiss architect Simone Cantoni after a devastating fire in 1777. It was one of the first neoclassical façades in the city. Right at the top, above the gate, you'll spot the coat of arms of Genoa. Beside the steps stand two large marble pedestals. They once carried statues of Admiral Andrea Doria and his nephew, until rioters pulled them down in 1797.