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In
A Most Serene Republic,
you'll explore the glittering courtrooms and council halls of
the Doge's Palace, Venice's political heart, to find out how
this ingenious government really worked and discover the
constitutional mechanisms and legislative procedures behind the “Myth of
Venice” as it came to be extolled in Western political thought.
You'll also learn to decipher the huge, painted canvases that adorn the palace
interiors to see how the city's ruling aristocracy
envisioned the State and its role in the lives of its
subjects.
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 Returning
to the twilight of the Roman
Empire, we'll first relive the invasion of the barbarian hordes as they
sweep into the surrounding mainland and force the terrorized
inhabitants to flee into the marshy wasteland along the shores
of the fabled Seven Seas. Here, the early refugees establish Venice's first, democratic government just
as Byzantium conquers the mainland and creates the embryo of
its future aristocracy. Age-old rivalries then ignite and
bitter trading disputes ensue. Against a backdrop of violence and
bloodshed, we'll witness the
investiture of the first doge and learn how complex legal
issues raised by the city's expanding commerce quickly began to erode
his absolute power. We'll then enter into the vast
hall of the Great Council to see Venice evolve from turbulent Byzantine dukedom
into serene, aristocratic republic. Here and in the
adjoining electoral hall and New Civil Quarantia courtroom
we'll talk about the commissions that came to control the
doge, about the elaborate electoral laws that prevented
intrigue and fraud, and about the intricate appellate system
and court procedures that truly ensured justice for all.
Climbing the Golden Staircase to the gilded halls of the Senate and the College, we'll learn
why Venice came to captivate the political
imagination of all of Europe and discover Venice's unique contributions
to the development of modern constitutional theory. We'll then enter into
the chamber of the dreaded Council of Ten and a world of dissent
where secret accusations became effective means to ensure collaboration and individual
liberties bowed to the government's need to eliminate subversive
activity. In the Criminal Quarantia, we'll stop to learn
about the institutional checks that kept judicial power from
becoming a personal instrument in the hands of zealous
magistrates before descending into the palace's dark prisons to
learn the fate of those who disturbed the serenity of
Venice. Throughout the visit, we'll watch the government grow
increasingly complex as more and more controls and magistrates
are instituted to defend the State from its worst natural
enemy: the ambitious and corruptible individual.
DURATION
MAJOR
SIGHT
ENGAGING
TOPICS
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The limits on power: from the Athenian
Republic to the United States of America
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Of courts and councils: interdependence
and term limits
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Institutionalizing virtue: personal liability
in the
electoral process
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Criminal justice: individual punishment
and public reparation
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Judicial review: civil suits
and the
appellate process
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Political justice: the limits on
opposition
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Of Church and State: Venice, Rome, and the
Dutch Republic
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The Aristotelian ideal: the many,
the few, the one
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The "Myth of Venice": the
Venetian image in Florentine and English thought
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The politics of art: State iconography
and the republican ideal
PRICE
AND SPECIAL NOTE
The price indicated
for this guided tour is
intended to cover the costs of the Society's continued
research initiatives and organization and is in compliance
with the conditions concerning the activities of non-profit
organizations as set forth in the Ministry of Finance Unified
Code Article 148, paragraph 3 (T.U. Art. 148, comma 3).
- Price: $250.00 (U.S. dollars) for two (2) persons. Each
additional adult costs $60.00. Minors under the age of 18
cost $30.00 each.
- Entrance fees are not included.
- Special
note: A Most Serene Republic is a highly specialized and
technical itinerary delving into the organization and
operation of the Venetian government and judiciary. It is
specifically designed for students and aficionados of political science
and jurisprudence and should not be mistaken for a
general-interest tour of the Doge's Palace. For
general-interest tours, visitors are encouraged to take
advantage of the audio tour available at the ticket
office.
SUGGESTED
READING
To help make
this guided tour a culturally enriching and educational experience, these
books are recommended.
Comments
on
A Most Serene Republic
“An
astonishing tale of conspiracy, feud, assassination, and politicking.
The labyrinthine system of government with multiple councils providing
checks and balances on each other is a fascinating study of human nature.”
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Chris Carrigan and Tina Monk
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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“The
best guided tour we have ever taken in any country! Venicescapes' tour
of the Doge's Palace is exhaustively researched and perfectly
organized. The commentary transforms a beautiful but mute building
into a fascinating, thousand-year story of a unique and enduring system of
government. Those interested in Constitutional Law will particularly
enjoy hearing about the development of a system of checks and balances far
more detailed and effective than those found today. The perspectives
of foreign political theorists on the Venetian government add further depth
and invite the visitor to ask whether modern governments should try to learn
from the Venetian experience.”
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Hilary and Daniel Paskowitz
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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“The
tour conveyed detailed and perceptive analyses of the complex, interlocking
legal and political institutions that enabled Venice to successfully compete
with and outlast empires larger than she. We especially enjoyed the
focus on the military, political, and legal history of the palace and the
explanations of how Venice's unique republican government successfully
prevented an over-concentration of power in the hands of a few corrupt.”
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Robert and Clare Gordon
San Francisco, California
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“A
very rewarding afternoon! The tour was extremely helpful to me in
arriving at a clear, compelling picture of the core principles behind the
Venetian governing system and understanding the direct connection between
procedural minutiae and ultimate governing principle. It made me see
just how determined the Venetians were to devise a series of procedures
which maximized incentives for the type of personal and collective
responsibility which was the nobility's governing ideal.”
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Dial Parrott
Glastonbury, Connecticut
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“The
most fascinating story imaginable! Not only did we learn a great deal about
the complexity of the Venetian system of government and administration, but
we found ourselves making observations about how the Venetians prevented
three, four, or even five hundred years ago the misgovernment that modern
administrations continue to grapple with. This tour is for anyone with
an interest in intrigue, power, and the human capacity for corruption!”
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Amy Selwyn
London, United Kingdom
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For further information about this
unique guided tour,
call 011 39 041 85 05 742 or write to:
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