Broletto di Como (Old Town Hall), Como

"Broletto" is an old term derived from the Medieval Latin word "brolo." A brolo was a broad, walled field where people could have town meetings. Eventually, the brolo or broletto became the Town Hall. Citizens used to gather in front of the municipal building, called by a bell, that was installed in the tower. In time, the Old Town Hall of Como was operated as a theatre and a communal archive. Today, it is a venue for exhibits and events.

The Old Town Hall, the ancient seat of the municipality of Como, is located on Vittorio Emanuele II Street, next to the Como Cathedral. It features a Gothic facade made with polychrome marble from local quarries and a civic tower made of rusticated stone. As written on the plaque on the main façade, just under the left window, the building was erected in 1215 at the behest of Bonardo da Cadazzo, mayor of Como.

The Old Town Hall style was a melange of Gothic-Romanesque-Renaissance elements. Parts of the facade date back to the 15th century. Over the centuries, the building underwent several modifications, in particular, to make room for the construction of the Como Cathedral. In the 20th century, the Old Town Hall returned to its original structure.