Palazzo d'Accursio and Civic Clock Tower
Why is it significant?
Face the sprawling and fortified facade of Palazzo d'Accursio, also known as Palazzo Comunale, which has served as the seat of civil government in Bologna since 1336.
Key Facts
| Place | Palazzo d'Accursio and Civic Clock Tower |
|---|---|
| Address | Piazza Maggiore 6, 40124 Bologna, Italy |
| Geo Coordinates | 44.49380, 11.34120 |
| Part of Walk | Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio and Leaning Towers: The Medieval Heart of Bologna |
| Generated | Generated |
Face the sprawling and fortified facade of Palazzo d'Accursio, also known as Palazzo Comunale, which has served as the seat of civil government in Bologna since 1336. This vast architectural ensemble combines several medieval houses, most notably the residence of the famous thirteenth-century jurist Accursius whose legal commentaries helped establish the fame of the Bolognese law school. Above the central portal, an imposing bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII, the Bolognese pontiff who introduced the Gregorian calendar to the world in 1582, blesses everyone entering the civic palace. Just to the left, the majestic Torre dell'Orologio, completed in 1444, displays a massive mechanical clock that has kept civic time for over five centuries, flanked by glazed terracotta Madonna plaques that sparkle in the morning sunlight. The historic council chambers inside preserve magnificent Renaissance tapestries and painted coffered ceilings where civic leaders debated local laws and defended Bolognese liberties against external powers.
Enter the inner courtyard to see the legendary Bramante staircase: this wide, gently sloping cordonato was paved with shallow brick steps so that medieval magistrates and foreign dignitaries could ride their horses straight up to the second-floor state apartments without ever dismounting into the muddy street. Riding on horseback up into palace chambers was the ultimate display of aristocratic privilege.
Embedded in the palace wall facing Piazza del Nettuno are the two ancient Bolognese standard measures: a chiseled stone showing the exact length of the local foot or braccio, and two iron rings used by city market inspectors to measure the legal dimensions of roofing tiles.
Look at the high crenellated ramparts along the roofline: armed archers once patrolled these walkways day and night during the bitter street wars between the rival Bentivoglio and papal factions.
Step out into the wide sunlit expanse of Piazza Maggiore to admire the vast Basilica of San Petronio.