Palatium Vetus: the medieval broletto of Alessandria

Located on Piazza della Libertà 28 in Alessandria, the Palatium Vetus is one of the oldest buildings in the city, with records of an architectural construct dating between the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century. Originally serving as a broletto, it was the center of political, administrative, and judicial life for the medieval commune.

Over the centuries, the building underwent various additions and modifications to suit its changing purposes. Notable events include the Alessandria commune ceding the building to the state in 1856. Until 1995, the building housed the Presidio and the Military District. Since September 1, 2012, it has been the seat of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria, which completely funded the restoration under the consultancy of architect Gae Aulenti.

Recent renovations have revealed numerous medieval architectural elements, such as the typical Lombard architecture of the broletto, which is now clearly visible after the removal of heavy 18th and 19th-century plaster. One of the two courtyards is now partially surrounded by a portico with pointed arches.

Inside the broletto's first-floor room, numerous blocked tripartite windows and large fragments of frescoes dating from the 13th to the 17th century were found. These include a representation of the city of Alessandria's coat of arms - a red cross on a white field.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons