Broletto

History

Initial construction of the Broletto took place during 1187–1230, although the structure has undergone many modifications over the centuries, specially after the Sack of Brescia in 1512 during the War of the League of Cambrai.

The long stone facade on the south fronts Via Cardinale Querini, and aligns parallel the left of the Cathedral, corresponds to the ancient Palatium Novum Maius built in 1223–1227. The Tower of the Poncarali in unfinished stone is attached to the facade. Originally 30 meters tall, it was lowered to about 19 metres by Ezzelino III da Romano. The nearly 54 meter Tower of Pègol is still intact, with a small belfry hidden by the Ghibelline crenellations added at the beginning of the 19th century. The clock on the inner wall of the first courtyard came from the nearby former cathedral of San Pietro de Dom, demolished in the 16th century. The balcony overlooking Piazza Paolo VI, called the Loggia delle Grida, can be seen near the tower. It was destroyed by the French forces in 1797 and rebuilt in the 20th century.

Entry to the Broletto is through the Porta Orientale (1606) embellished with monolithic pillars from Roman times made of Egyptian granite, which once ornamented the entrance to the demolished cathedral of San Pietro de Dom. The upper part of the doorway was designed by Antonio Tagliaferri in the late 1800s.

In the porch there is a stone tablet under the sculpture of Justice Enthroned, it was defaced by the Jacobins but used to represent the Venetian Lion of Saint Mark. The 14th century fresco of the Enthroned Madonna with Child is still visible on the right.

The oldest wings of the Palazzo Nuovo Maggiore, whose porticos are now walled up, give onto the west and south sides of the large southern courtyard, which has a fountain in the center. There are fine capitals in the style of Antelami coupling the windows on the first floor, above all, those of the quadrifora on the left, which has a round lobate window in the lunette, with twelve figures representing the months of the year. Another thing to notice is the reconstruction of the ancient wooden staircase, which in medieval times led to the great hall of the Maggior Consiglio (the organ of government) on the first floor. …