Buildings of historical importance
Broletto (Novara)
Category: Buildings of historical importance
The term “broletto”, from the Latin brolo, means yard. Indeed, before the construction of the building, this was a free area where the market was held. In the Middle Ages, the Broletto was used to perform functions of municipal administration: this is where meetings took place and justice was meted out. The architectonic complex is made up of four bodies arranged around a yard, built in successive periods in accordance with requirements, meaning that it cannot easily be dated. The building represents an example of Romanesque architecture characterised by a search for stability and solidity. Made of bricks, the façade has few decorations; the windows and terracotta elements have been highlighted by recent restoration works. The ground floor comprises a porch with round arches. The porch was of considerable importance in the life of the city because, in the Middle Ages, the benches of the magistrates who heard and passed sentence on all cases of civil law were set out below it. The staircase leading to the upper floor is known as the “Arengaria”, and was rebuilt during the restoration works. The area now occupied by the stairs to the loggia once hosted the Torre dei Paratici (the Guild Tower), demolished last century.
Information
Via Fratelli Rosselli, 20 - 28100 Novara
Tel. +39.0321.3702755 - Fax: +39.0321.3702760
www.comune.novara.it
