Doge's Palace, Venice

Built, rebuilt, and remodeled over ten centuries, the Ducal Palace of Venice has survived earthquakes, lightning, fires, looting, and political uprisings to stand today as the premier monument of the Venetian Republic. Traditionally the home of the Doges (Dukes) of Venice elected for life, the square building, supported by rows of sturdy columns, and crowned with alternating pinnacles and arches, has also been home to the city's administrative and legislative bodies, courts, and prisons. The façade, etched by D. Y. Cameron, appears, like the city it represents, to have risen from the waters.