Palazzo del Podestà, Mantua
Palazzo del Podestà, also called Palazzo del Broletto, is a 13th‑century palace in Mantua, Lombardy, Italy. It sits between Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Broletto in the city center and long served as Mantua’s city government offices. The main facade faces Piazza Broletto.
The palace was built in 1227 as the home and offices of the commune government. After a fire, it was rebuilt in Renaissance style in the 15th century, designed by Luca Fancelli and funded by Duke Ludovico Gonzaga.
The main facade has a niche with a worn 13th‑century statue said to be Virgil at his desk, between two columns. The building has two facades; the Piazza Broletto side includes a tall clock tower and a coat of arms. The niches hold the statues of Virgil and the Virgin. Over the centuries, older arches were walled up and new construction added. At the corner is the Arch of the Arengario, a large arch with mullioned windows that connects the palace to the town archives or Masseria. The other façade is simpler but keeps the distinctive window pattern. The palace is currently undergoing reconstruction.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:01 (CET).