Palazzo dei Trecento
The thing you notice first is the line. Running horizontally across the brick facade of the Palazzo dei Trecento, a subtle course of recessed bricks marks where the original 13th-century walls end and the post-1944 reconstruction begins — a quiet record of the bombing raid that tore through Treviso and the careful work that followed.
The palazzo stands on Piazza dei Signori, two floors of rose-red brick with a ground-floor loggia opened up in 1552 and three triple mullioned windows above. It still functions as Treviso's municipal council chamber, which means the frescoed interior — coats of arms and allegories of justice painted by Venetian hands across three centuries — is not always open to you.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to time it for early evening, when the western light catches the brickwork and the piazza starts to empty of the lunch crowd. If the palazzo is hosting an exhibition, go in — access to the upper hall, with its surviving fresco fragments, is otherwise rare and worth the detour from whatever else you had planned.
The story behind Palazzo dei Trecento
Construction began around 1185 and was completed in 1268, with Venetian architect Gabriele Saccon responsible for the design. The building served as the seat of the Maggior Consiglio, Treviso's principal governing body. A fire in 1475 caused serious damage, but reconstruction largely preserved the original form. In 1552, the ground-floor arches were opened to create the loggia that defines the facade today.
The worst blow came in 1944, when Allied bombing left the structure badly damaged and destroyed much of the interior fresco cycle. Superintendent Ferdinando Forlati oversaw the restoration between 1945 and 1951, working from salvaged original materials and historical records. One decision made during that process — replacing Ghibelline merlons with Guelph merlons — remains visible at the roofline.
Good to know
The palazzo is less than a kilometre from Treviso's train station — ten minutes on foot. Interior access depends on whether an exhibition is running; check locally before visiting. The exterior and loggia are always worth the walk through Piazza dei Signori.
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What travellers say about Palazzo dei Trecento
Old, impressive building
Walking in the streets of Italy, there are many churches, castles and history relics. Before we have dinner in the evening that we walk here. Streets are spacious, distance between the buildings and people can make you feel comfortable, and there are not many cars In the evening Many people is walking the dog here. It's not a famous sightseeing spot but still charming for me
Cool.
I loved the beautiful ceiling.
Free
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