Palazzo Comunale
When Bologna was an independent city-state, this huge palace dating from the 13th to 15th century was the seat of government—a function it still serves today in a building that is a mélange of styles. Over the door is a statue of Bologna-born Pope Gregory XIII (reigned 1572–85), most famous for reorganizing the calendar. The Collezioni Comunali d'Arte museum exhibits medieval paintings as well as some Renaissance works by Luca Signorelli (circa 1445–1523) and Tintoretto (1518–94). You can also explore two panoramic terraces of the Torre dell’Orologio, its clock mechanism and the grand Sala Farnese. The cavernous, light-filled iron-roofed Sala Borsa (1884) now houses the wonderful civic library Salaborsa Biblioteca Multimediale.
