The Doge's Palace is adjacent to the basilica of San Marco, and was the seat of the Doge of Venice in the past.
The Doge was the temporal leader of the city and elected for life. The palace houses an armory, many rooms for dignitaries and the famous prison all of which can be visited.
It is nice to see the piazza without the vendors and other clutter that disrupts the ambience of Venice in the evening.

Like the previous picture, this one was taken handheld at about 9 p.m., not at the time stated on the EXIF information, as I had neglected to reset the 20D clock.