Palazzo delle Prigioni
Palazzo delle Prigioni
4
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksArchitectural Buildings
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Palazzo delle Prigioni Nove to Venice is in St. Mark's Square and is connected to the the Doge’s Palace by the famous Bridge of Sighs. A building designed by the architect Antonio Da Ponte in 1589, the same who designed the Rialto Bridge, and was completed around 1600. Today the Palazzo delle Prigioni is home to the Artistic Circle of Venice which organizes various cultural experiences and musical concerts.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighbourhood: Castello
Castello is the largest of the six sestieri (districts), and the only one not facing onto the Grand Canal. More than half of Castello is situated within Arsenale, the naval base, which occupies over one-fifth the area of Venice. This gentrified maritime neighbourhood feels busy but casual. Castello’s side streets are laid back, with small boats lining canals criss-crossed by laundry. Semiannual exhibitions add a strong artsy current to the Arsenale area. Via Garibaldi in Castello, with its shops and bars, has one of Venice's rare straight and wide boulevards. When a large ship turns around the Lido to enter the Giudecca Canal, the startling sight creates an illusion that it will run aground right on Via Garibaldi! Families treasure Giardini near the island's tip, green with rare trees and grass, and Riva degli Schiavoni is a popular spot for Venetians to take a stroll to watch the sunset.
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4.0
46 reviews
Excellent
18
Very good
22
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
2
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Graham S
Tewantin, Australia4,628 contributions
Aug 2019
After your traipsing around the Doge's Palace & its gilt & plush furnishings, a trip across the Bridge Of Sighs ( Ponte dei Sospiri ) to Palazzo delle Prigioni ( The new prisons ) is an absolute must.
The atmosphere is heavy with judgement & the cells are cold & damp you would expect. Ventilation would be the thing I would miss most & of course a view of the sky or really anywhere outside ... doesn't bare considering for long.
The significance of the Bridge of Sighs is about the last chance prisoners would get of the world which could be taken away from them.
For all the glamour & opulence of the Doges Palace, The Prigioni left a much more embedded impression on us.
The atmosphere is heavy with judgement & the cells are cold & damp you would expect. Ventilation would be the thing I would miss most & of course a view of the sky or really anywhere outside ... doesn't bare considering for long.
The significance of the Bridge of Sighs is about the last chance prisoners would get of the world which could be taken away from them.
For all the glamour & opulence of the Doges Palace, The Prigioni left a much more embedded impression on us.
Written 30 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alessandro F
Milan, Italy32,408 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
For centuries the prison of the city were inside the Doge’s palace, in 1589 was built this palace just beside the Doge’s palace and connected by the famous bridge “Ponte dei sospiri”
Written 4 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raffiella11
Leicestershire, UK4,765 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
Walking on the lagoon side of the Doge’s Palace along Riva Degli Schiavoni, just stop before the Ponte de Paglia Bridge looking left you will see the side of the Piombi prison.
Small windows with iron bars across the windows overlooking the Rio De Palazzo. The access into the prison is from the Doge’s Palace over the Bridge of Sighs where prisoners took there last look before entering the prison.
There were two sections– the ground floor always damp was for the most serious criminals as opposed to the upper floor where in summer it was so hot, was for notorious more distinguished criminals like Giacomo Casanova, aged 29.
When in prison after a long series of crimes, he wore his own clothes, had his own furniture and had meals cooked for him. One night he escaped by climbing onto the prison roof, down a drain pipe, slipped into the Doge’s Palace and a guard thought he was a policitian who was lost and opened the door, he t escaped very calmly on a gondola.
Take a guided tour of the prison area after seeing the Doge’s Palace. Stop on the Bridge of Sighs take you last look of the city before your tour of the prison, there are torture chambers, secret government archives. With their dark rooms and creaky floors they will truly make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, and you will be glad to then see daylight in the fresh air.
Full of amazing history = take time to visit.
Small windows with iron bars across the windows overlooking the Rio De Palazzo. The access into the prison is from the Doge’s Palace over the Bridge of Sighs where prisoners took there last look before entering the prison.
There were two sections– the ground floor always damp was for the most serious criminals as opposed to the upper floor where in summer it was so hot, was for notorious more distinguished criminals like Giacomo Casanova, aged 29.
When in prison after a long series of crimes, he wore his own clothes, had his own furniture and had meals cooked for him. One night he escaped by climbing onto the prison roof, down a drain pipe, slipped into the Doge’s Palace and a guard thought he was a policitian who was lost and opened the door, he t escaped very calmly on a gondola.
Take a guided tour of the prison area after seeing the Doge’s Palace. Stop on the Bridge of Sighs take you last look of the city before your tour of the prison, there are torture chambers, secret government archives. With their dark rooms and creaky floors they will truly make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, and you will be glad to then see daylight in the fresh air.
Full of amazing history = take time to visit.
Written 6 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Estueban
Perugia, Italy2,603 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
When visiting Palazzo Ducale everybody think about the palace and its decorated rooms and saloons, or just about Ponte dei Sospiri, but there is way more in it. The prison is a dramatic building, very evocative and suggestive. When you walk through the halls and enter the cells, you can really feel like a prisoner. Amazing.
Written 25 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Millenium2016
Switzerland206 contributions
Dec 2017 • Couples
We attended a Vivaldi concert in this place. It is a place full of history and very romantic for this reason. The sound is very good. With 5 musicians and 4 seasons, you felt like you were facing the Berliner Philarmonic. Better than in a cold church far from your hotel as it is often the case in Venice. To be recommended !
Written 20 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
phat_dawg_21
Alpharetta, GA16,947 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This is the prison adjacent to the Doge’s Palace. We entered it by passing through the Bridge Of Sighs.
Inside you will find cold, dark cells, with very little ventilation.
Inside you will find cold, dark cells, with very little ventilation.
Written 23 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SoCalOregonian
Murrieta, CA10,355 contributions
Apr 2019
This “palace” is in actuality the prison, which is accessed via the Ponte dei Sospiri. It is worth visiting to see the cells of the condemned and the conditions in which they were incarcerated.
Written 14 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark42139
New York City, NY1,646 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
This is a fascinating prison, and we were lucky enough to be able to do the secret part as well. Amazing!
Written 5 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taxidevil
Glasgow, UK2,935 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
When visiting the Doge's Palace you pass over the Bridge of Sighs to enter the prison area. Many small cells. There was an exhibition by a Scottish artist while we were there.
Written 24 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alessandro G
Genoa, Italy187 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We took advantage of the rainy day to take a guided tour of the prisons. I am mentioning this because the tour is very suggestive and the boy who accompanied us was very good at explaining and involving us, telling us many curiosities that we would not have discovered if we had done the "unguided" tour.
For those who say that €15 each is a steal, I consider it 100 times better spent than the €10 ride in the lift to the bell tower of San Marco for 5 minutes of panoramic views!
For those who say that €15 each is a steal, I consider it 100 times better spent than the €10 ride in the lift to the bell tower of San Marco for 5 minutes of panoramic views!
Written 25 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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