Palazzo del Podestà (or Pretorio) stands on the opposite side of its twin Palazzo dei Consoli, overlooking Piazza Grande, and was meant to be an integral part of the ambitious municipal project that started in Gubbio in the 14th century.
The building, designed by Andrea da Orvieto with the intervention of Gattapone, was supposed to obey the architectural rules of the ‘golden rectangle’, exactly like Palazzo dei Consoli. It consists of overlapping floors, occupied by two perfectly equal rectangular rooms. The presence of a single central octagonal pillar, which opens like a lily in support of the floors, is highly unusual and is an example of Gubbio’s awe-inspiring architectural engineering.
Building work began in 1349 but unfortunately it was never completed, as can be seen from some protruding ashlars on the side facing Palazzo dei Consoli, which were almost certainly the supporting juts for the on-going construction of the building.
A brick structure was built in the 18th century next to the 14th-century building in stone ashlars and is still visible today.
The upper room of the building, called ‘la larga’, was also used as a prison until the 19th century before becoming, in more recent times, the seat of the Municipal Administration. The Sala del Sindaco houses two beautiful battle scenes, painted by the 17th-century artist Allegrini.