Thursday Challenge — "golden"

This is the beautiful scala d'oro (golden staircase) in the 

Palazzo Ducale, in Venice.  It was begun in the middle of the 

16th century, and used only by magistrates and very

 important people.  I happened to meet the Venetian who was

 given the job of re-gilding this staircase (and all the rest 

of the doge's palace).  It's an "inside job" though, because two 

of his ancestors were those same magistrates who were

allowed to use this very special staircase.

[To see more gold, go here.]