Palazzo della Ragione, Medieval town hall in Piazza delle Erbe, Mantua, Italy.
The Palazzo della Ragione is a three-story building with solid masonry walls decorated with three-part windows and arched details throughout its facade. Heavy pillars support the structure and create an open hall beneath, now filled with shops and restaurants at ground level.
Construction started between 1242 and 1250 under podesta Guido da Correggio, making it one of the region's oldest town halls. A clock tower was added in 1475, updating the building and reinforcing its role as the city's center.
This building has always been where people gathered to buy and sell goods and conduct public business. The covered space beneath the portico served as both marketplace and meeting place, where the city settled its affairs.
The building sits in the center of Piazza delle Erbe, making it easy to reach on foot from anywhere in town. The ground-floor arcades offer shelter from rain and wind while you explore the square.
The clock added in 1475 once had a balcony where official announcements were made to the city. Next to it sat a small room with a bell for the night watch, showing how the building monitored all aspects of town life.
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