Palazzo del Governo, Renaissance palace in Ancona, Italy

Palazzo del Governo stands in Piazza del Plebiscito with a classical double entrance on its north side and a courtyard defined by pointed arches. The interior spaces display refined stonework and decorated windows characteristic of 15th-century design.

A fire destroyed the original government building in 1348, after which Francesco di Giorgio Martini transformed the structure into its Renaissance form in 1484. This reconstruction was part of the city's renewal and established a new seat for local administration.

The name changed with use: seat of the civic government, then from 1532 of the apostolic governors, and since Italian unification of the Prefecture. In the courtyard, two large arches span the sloping Via Pizzecolli, the one toward the piazza dating to 1470 and the richer one to 1542.

The building currently serves as Prefecture headquarters and remains an active administrative center, accessible during official hours. Its location on the main square makes it easy to reach and provides a good starting point for exploring the old town.

The civic tower was rebuilt in 1581 and received a clock in 1611; in 1806 the master clockmaker Antonio Podrini da Sant'Angelo in Vado added a carillon of four bells that plays the midday melody. Look up at the tower above Piazza del Plebiscito to spot it.