Palazzo d'Accursio and Torre dell'Orologio

The palace has been the seat of Bologna's town council since 1336. It was created over the centuries by joining various buildings to an older core, including the house of Accursio, a celebrated master of law at Bologna's university, from whom it takes its name. On the façade facing the square you can see the terracotta Madonna by Niccolò dell'Arca and the large bronze statue of Pope Gregory XIII, the Bolognese pope who reformed the calendar.

Inside, a gently sloping ramp staircase attributed to Bramante rises to the second floor: it was designed so that the authorities could ride up it on horseback. You reach the state rooms this way: the Sala d'Ercole, the Sala del Consiglio, the Sala Farnese and the Sala Rossa, which can be seen on guided tours when they are not occupied by council meetings.

On the top floor are the Collezioni Comunali d'Arte, with paintings, furniture and objects from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. From the Sala Farnese begins the visit to the Torre dell'Orologio, Accursio's tower: the mechanical clock was mounted on the façade in 1444 and you can see its mechanism up close during the climb.

At the top, two terraces look out over Piazza Maggiore, San Petronio and the Due Torri: today it is the best way to see Bologna from above, now that the Asinelli is closed. The palace courtyard and the nearby Salaborsa, the former stock exchange turned library, are open to everyone.