Broletto, Medieval palace complex in Novara, Italy

The Broletto is a medieval complex of four buildings set around a central courtyard called the Arengo, entered by an arch from Piazza della Repubblica to the south and another from Corso Italia to the north. The north side has the Palazzo del Comune (12th century), with a ground-floor portico of round arches and a large assembly hall above; the east side the Palazzo dei Paratici; the south the Palazzo del Podestà, with ogival arcades, five single-light windows and 15th-century frescoes; the west the Palazzo dei Referendari, the only one without an open portico.

Construction of this administrative center began after the Peace of Constance in 1183, with the first written records mentioning the complex dating to 1208. The building reflects Novara's growing power and the city's need to establish a strong governing structure during the medieval period.

The name Broletto derives from the medieval term for a walled public courtyard where commerce and civic business took place. Under the portico of the Palazzo del Comune stood the benches of the consuls of justice, who judged civil cases; the upper hall hosted public assemblies. The courtyard is still called the Arengo, and in summer it becomes an open-air cinema.

Access is through an arched passage from Piazza della Repubblica to the south and a second arch from Corso Italia to the north; there is no entrance from Piazza del Duomo. The courtyard, called the Arengo, links the four buildings, and the Galleria d'Arte Moderna Giannoni occupies 13 rooms inside. In summer the courtyard hosts open-air cinema screenings.

Archaeological discoveries during 20th-century renovations revealed that this complex was built directly over Roman-era structures buried beneath its foundations. This hidden layer shows the site had importance long before the medieval period began.