In the 13th century, the Broletto of Pavia was the largest building in the city, a public celebration of the power of the commune. The first town hall was built on the northern side of Piazza Cavagneria, and in 1236, it was expanded on the side facing Piazza della Vittoria.

In the inner courtyard, where legal cases were judged during the commune period, the arcades of the older palace can still be seen, partly overlain by the 16th-century building of the Notary Corporation, and those of the 1236 expansion.

The Broletto of Pavia is now home to the IUSS Pavia Higher University School, an advanced training and scientific research institution.

Photo: vivipavia.it