Here we find ourselves in front of the Palazzo Vecchio del Comune, once the political and administrative heart of Albenga. In the Middle Ages, between the 12th and 13th centuries, municipal meetings were held first in the Cathedral, then in a building in front of the church, until finally arriving at this complex, purchased by the Cepolla family and transformed into the monumental seat of the municipality.
On the ground floor was a loggia for meetings and the administration of justice; the upper floor housed the podestà's residence and the municipal offices, opened by elegant triple-lancet windows and crowned by Ghibelline battlements. A double staircase led to the upper floor, which led to the Baptistery, where the most important Council sessions were held in the 16th century.
The tower, formerly owned by the Cepolla family and later by the town council, is one of the city's most recent. A brick facing rises from the large stone base, and on the top floor is a large single-lancet window housing the town bell, the famous Campanone , which still today draws the city to its attention on important occasions. On the façade facing Piazza San Michele, mullioned windows and a clock have marked the rhythm of city life for centuries.
Today the palace houses the Ingauno Civic Museum: inside are preserved Roman and early medieval artefacts, a sarcophagus, a marble wellhead, and a large fresco by Giovanni Canavesio, a reminder of justice and rectitude for those who govern.
Next stop
Ready for the next stage?
Use the map to move to the next point: The Town Hall
Click on the “Go to the next stage” button, which you will find at the bottom of the page, to access the relevant content.