Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo

Why it matters

The Palazzo del Capitano del Popolo is part of Todi's medieval civic centre. Dated to 1293, its Gothic architecture reflects the development of communal government and the changing balance between civic offices. The upper floors now house part of the Museo Archeologico e Pinacoteca Comunale, which brings together archaeological and artistic material associated with Todi.

What to notice

The palace's pointed openings and vertical proportions distinguish it from the neighbouring Palazzo del Podestà. A raised passage, built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, connects the two buildings. Museum collections include Attic red- and black-figure ceramics, votive bronzes, coins from ancient Tuder, textiles and ceramics. The picture gallery includes works by Giovanni di Pietro, known as lo Spagna, including the Incoronazione della Vergine, which came from the suppressed convent of Montesanto.

Context and history

Construction began in 1293 and continued beyond 1301. The palace served the Capitano del Popolo, an office that represented a distinct civic authority in the commune. The building remained in civic use and was later joined to the Palazzo del Podestà. The civic museum was founded in 1871; a reorganisation in 1997 established its present arrangement across the upper floors of the two palaces.