Palazzo del Podestá, Rimini

The Palazzo del Podestá palace was built in 1334 and served as residence of the Podesta – the chief administrator of Rimini. The building was restored and changed many times throughout its long history. In the beginning of the 20th century, the Palazzo del Podesta together with Piazza Cavour was rebuilt by the renowned architect Gaspare Rastrelli. The austerity of the palace is expressed by three Gothic arches in its facade. In the Middle Ages a rope used to hang from the middle arch as it was the place where criminals were executed. Today the ground floor of the building hosts an art gallery where frequent exhibitions are organized.