The Armours of the Doge's Palace Armoury in Venice

The medieval Doge's Palace in Venice, located in the beautiful setting of St Mark's Square,  houses countless surprises: for example, the Armoury.

It is an incredible collection of arms and ammunition, of different ages and from different backgrounds, which belonged to the Council of Ten. Arms and ammunition were needed for the warriors guarding the palace to defend the Doge and the other members of the Government of the Republic.

Among the more than 2000 pieces kept in the Armoury there are also several fantastic pieces of armour: for example, in Room I one can admire the armour of the famous leader Erasmo da Narni called Gattamelata (1370-1443), finely chiseled, alongside others dating back to the 16th century which were used in battles and tournaments.

The armour that is most intriguing is very small, which was found on the battlefield of Marigliano in 1515; and perhaps belonged to a child or a dwarf.

Room 2 boasts the splendid armour of the French King Henry IV of Bourbon (1553- 1610), which the great ruler donated to the Republic of Venice in 1604. Do not be surprised of its small size: all the chronicles describe Henry IV as being short in stature!

The Armoury is included in the visit of Doge's Palace, which can be visited by purchasing the Museums of St Mark's Square ticket or the cumulative Museum Pass. If you prefer to visit the Palace with an exclusive private tour, venetoinside.com offers two different tours: a private guided tour of the Doge's Palace and Venice for kids, a specifically designed itinerary to involve the younger ones in the discovery of Venice and its most famous places. Both visits are run by Francesca, our trusty tour guide who also prepares this section.