Broletto
Piazza Broletto in Lodi (Lombardy)
With Broletto (from the Latin brolo = fenced yard) refers to the Lombard cities since the 11th century a walled venue in which urban affairs and were primarily regulated transactions. Later, Broletto was used to designate either the palace of the consuls, the respective rulers or generally the seat of the city council or the mayor .
open ground floor of a Broletto (here in Como )
The ground floor of such a town hall was usually open, and in the resulting hall court hearings were held in public in order to ensure uniformity of jurisdiction. It was also often used as a market hall , like an ancient basilica . There is often a single large hall on the upper floor to accommodate the citizens' meeting.
Examples of such palaces can be found in the following cities:
- Arona
- Brescia
- Como : see Broletto (Como)
- Lodi (Lombardy)
- Mantua
- Milan : see Palazzo della Ragione
- Monza
- Novara
- Orta
- Pavia
- Piacenza (Palazzo Comunale, called "il Gotico")