Palazzo del Popolo, Gothic palace in Todi, Italy.
Palazzo del Popolo is a Gothic palace in Todi featuring pointed-arch windows arranged across two stories and a ground floor with rounded stone arcades. The building rises above the piazza and contains gallery spaces with artworks from the medieval and Renaissance periods.
The building began construction in 1213 as one of Italy's earliest town halls and underwent significant expansion in 1228. A public staircase was added to its exterior in 1267, and the structure later adapted to serve as a theater for the community.
The palace houses religious artworks and Renaissance paintings that reflect the spiritual and artistic values of medieval and early modern Todi. Walking through the galleries, you see how local patrons commissioned pieces to express their faith and cultural identity.
You can enter through a single entrance that also connects to the neighboring Palazzo del Capitano, with the galleries located in the upper floors. The interior staircase and layout can be confusing, so moving slowly through the rooms allows you to take in the artworks properly.
During the 1600s and 1700s, the building served as a performance venue for theatrical productions, reflecting how medieval structures could be transformed for new community purposes. This shift shows how civic buildings were flexible spaces responding to changing local needs.
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