CORTONA | The historical and famous palaces

The Town Hall Palace

Town Hall Palace

Placed on the main square of Cortona, Piazza della Repubblica, there is one of the most famous palaces in Cortona, that you could see in many pictures of the city: the Town Hall palace with the clock tower. The palace dates back to the twelfth century, and it was built on the remains of a Roman Forum. They wanted to build a new palace dedicated to the new municipal institutions. The Town Hall palace is one of the artistic and historical witness that show the greatness of Cortona during the medieval period. Its original structure has got a Romanic style, and it had already a stair from which  you could reach the main door, that you can still see it nowadays if you enter from Piazza della Repubblica. In the sixteenth century was changed and expanded, adding on the left side a new visible side from Via Roma, and an arch that overlooks the street. In addition to that, the famous clock tower was also built in that period, and it is still nowadays what makes the building peculiar. Once, the clock tower was used to mark the passing hours, with the sound of the bell on the top of the tower. Unfortunately, for safety problems, nowadays the bell is not ringing. The works to build the palace started after the municipal autonomy of Cortona, and during the centuries, it was restored with many other elements. The aspect that we can see today is a restoration made in 1896. The architect who renovated the Town Hall palace, was the same that renewed also the church of Santa Margherita. Inside the palace, there is one room that stands out from all the rooms, that is the Council Hall. In this room there are many wall paintings, and an amazing stone fireplace, made by Cristofanello, that dates back to the sixteenth century. 

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