above, that there were three principal styles of Venetian
architecture; Byzantine, Gothic, and Renaissance.

The Ducal Palace, which was the great work of Venice, was built
successively in the three styles. There was a Byzantine Ducal Palace, a
Gothic Ducal Palace, and a Renaissance Ducal Palace. The second
superseded the first totally; a few stones of it (if indeed so much) are
all that is left. But the third superseded the second in part only, and
the existing building is formed by the union of the two.

We shall review the history of each in succession.[99]

1st. The BYZANTINE PALACE.

In the year of the death of Charlemagne, 813,[100] the Venetians
determined to make the island of Rialto the seat of the government and
capital of their state. Their Doge, Angelo or Agnello Participazio,
instantly took vigorous means for the enlargement of the small group of
buildings which were to be the nucleus of the future Venice. He
appointed persons to superintend the raising of the banks of sand, so as
to form more secure foundations, and to build wooden bridges over the
canals. For the offices of religion, he built the Church of St. Mark;
and on, or near, the spot where the Ducal Palace now stands, he built a
palace for the administration of the government.[101]

The history of the Ducal Palace therefore begins with the birth of
Venice, and to what remains of it, at this day, is entrusted the last
representation of her power.

Sec. X. Of the exact position and form of this palace of Participazio
little is ascertained. Sansovino says that it was "built near the Ponte
della Paglia, and answeringly on the Grand Canal,"[102] towards San
Giorgio; that is to say, in the place now occupied by the Sea Facade;
but this was merely the popular report of his day. We know, however,
positively, that it was somewhere upon the site of the existing palace;
and that it had an important front towards the Piazzetta, with which, as
we shall see hereafter, the present palace at one period was
incorporated. We know, also, that it was a pile of some magnificence,
from the account given by Sagornino of the visit paid by the Emperor
Otho the Great, to the Doge Pietro Orseolo II. The chronicler says that
the Emperor "beheld carefully all the beauty of the palace;"[103] and
the Venetian historians express pride in the building's being worthy of
an emperor's examination. This was after the palace had been much
injured by fire in the revolt against C