Broletto, Municipal palace in Pavia, Italy
The Broletto is a palace in Pavia that has served as the city's administrative center since the late 12th century and features two primary components. The ground floor opens to the street through a covered portico, while the upper level houses a spacious assembly hall designed for meetings and municipal business.
Construction began in the late 12th century with the south wing, followed by the east wing, as documented by inscriptions within the structure. Over subsequent centuries, the palace continuously served the city's administrative needs and underwent modifications to accommodate changing requirements.
The name broletto comes from the Latin brolo, an enclosed courtyard where Lombard towns held assemblies and administered justice from the 11th century; Pavia's meetings were held in the bishop's broilum Sancti Syri, where in 1162 a banquet marked the capture of Milan in the presence of Frederick Barbarossa. Since 1989 the complex has housed the IUSS School for Advanced Studies and hosts temporary exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.
Access to the interior requires prearranged guided tours, and the building is equipped with facilities for visitors with reduced mobility. Those planning a visit should check in advance how to reach the site most easily and which areas are accessible at any given time.
During the 1926-1928 restorations, workers found roof tiles stamped with the seal of Bishop Crispinus, possibly Crispinus II (521-541), along with a 4th-century black-and-white mosaic with a pelta pattern, now in the Civic Museums. The courtyard was later excavated by the University of Lancaster between 1977 and 1979.
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