Palazzo dei Priori
If, while strolling through the historic centre of Città di Castello, you notice a subtle resemblance to Tuscan architecture, it is no coincidence: Palazzo dei Priori, now the Town Hall, boasts a majestic rusticated façade that immediately recalls the austere elegance of Florentine palaces.
Still home to the municipal administration, it is considered one of the most significant 14th-century public buildings in Umbria.
Civic pride and an unfinished project: the history
The palace was built on the site of an earlier bishop’s residence, which was sold to the Municipality by Bishop Azzo in 1234. The present building, however, dates from the first half of the 14th century, with construction beginning between 1322 and 1338. The project was designed by Angelo da Orvieto, one of the great masters of medieval architecture in the region. During the same period, the architect was also working on two other major Umbrian projects: Palazzo dei Consoli in Gubbio and the nearby Palazzo del Podestà.
Palazzo dei Priori remains unfinished. The original design envisaged a second floor and an imposing bell tower. Construction came to a halt in 1338, after the first row of mullioned windows had been completed, while the tower was never built. The nearby Civic Tower (or Bishop’s Tower) came to fulfil a similar visual role, dominating the skyline of the historic centre.
