Built in 1206 in the typical Lombard broletto style, the building was then enlarged in several phases until the 15th century, while the 13th-century triple lancet windows on the façade, later replaced by large windows, were embellished in 1838 with pilasters and terracotta decorations in neo-Renaissance style by the architect Luigi Voghera.

The staircase leads to the Sala degli Alabardieri, decorated with several 13th-century frescoes, and then to the Sala dei Quadri, which houses large canvases from suppressed churches and, at the back, a copy of the door of Palazzo Stanga, now in the Louvre. The Sala della Giunta features a precious marble fireplace by Gaspare Pedone, dating back to 1502.

Next to it stands the Loggia dei Militi, a beautiful terracotta structure built in 1292, characterised by a high portico with a large hall above, lit by ogival windows and topped with battlements. Under the portico is the pediment of the ancient Porta Margherita, demolished in 1910, which features a double image of Hercules, the mythical founder of the city, with the city's coat of arms.

Ph. Giovanni Tagini