Palazzo del Bargello

The Palazzo del Bargello is a fourteenth-century Gothic civic building on Via dei Consoli in Gubbio. Its historic rooms house an exhibition devoted to the city's crossbow tradition, while the Fountain of the Mad stands in the small square outside.

Why it matters

The palace preserves the scale and character of medieval civic architecture in Gubbio. It also reflects the city's continuing traditions through an exhibition on the Palio della Balestra, the annual crossbow contest held with Sansepolcro.

What to notice

The stone façade overlooks Largo del Bargello. Inside, the exhibition presents historic crossbows, including mounted and handheld types, alongside period costumes. Opposite the palace, the Fontana dei Matti is associated with a local ritual in which three circuits of the fountain and a symbolic baptism earn the title of “madman of Gubbio.”

Context and history

The palace was built in the early fourteenth century. Tradition identifies it as the residence of the Bargello, the magistrate responsible for policing, though this association is unconfirmed. The building now houses a permanent exhibition on the crossbow contest, a tradition held on the last Sunday of May.