Palazzo della Ragione, Milan

The Palazzo della Ragione (often just called Broletto ) is a council, judicial and market building in the northern Italian city of Milan. The medieval building with its built in neoclassical style floor is located about 200 meters west of Milan Cathedral in Piazza dei Mercanti.

History and Function

Today's Palace ( Palazzo Nuevo ) had a predecessor, which probably stood on the site of the initiated in the 14th century Royal Palace, and a successor ( Palazzo Nuovissimo ) on the Via Broletto. It was created in 1233 at the instigation of the then mayor ( podestà ) Oldrado because Tresseno whose equestrian statue is mounted in the outer wall, and was until 1776 in urban use. During the reign of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa of construction by the architect Francesco Croce was rebuilt and converted as an archive. Croce stopped the medieval building on one floor with large round windows in the neoclassical style and was plastering the brick masonry. End of the 19th century there was a renewed restoration and conversion of the seat of the Banca Popolare di Milano. Only slowly one recognized the importance and value of the medieval building; a restoration of the original state and thus a removal of the upper floor was rejected at the beginning of the 20th century.

Architecture

The ground floor level of about 50 meter long and 15 meter wide building is open all hours on all sides by pillared arcades kapitelllose from Haustein; a third row of arcades in the center also supports the upper floors. In the transverse direction inserted iron tie rods provide more stability. Public trials, but also markets held - In the Hall of Pillars thus created were - as in an ancient basilica. The middle level is walled entirely of brick; it still shows three-track late-Gothic windows that are covered over by round or segmental arches. The later (1770 /1) added, but also built of brick floor with its round windows were plastered.

Equipment

The central importance in the life of the city is also reflected in the rich decoration of the Palazzo della Ragione: On the importance of a marble relief with a monster ( semilanuta scrofa ) are circulating various speculations; it seems to be closely associated with a city's founding myth. A fresco of Bramantino with the Mother of God, the Christ Child and Two Angels (Madonna del Palazzo Broletto de ) adorned a long time the external facade of the building; it was removed in 1808 from there and is now in the Pinacoteca di Brera. The frescoes in the interior come from both late medieval and Baroques; most show coats of arms, but also a representation of the Holy Family is seen.

Bramantino - Madonna with Child and Two Angels

Fresco with coats of arms

Fresco with Holy Family