{"id":357449,"date":"2025-07-29T13:56:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T11:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/?post_type=what-to-see&p=357449"},"modified":"2025-07-29T14:19:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:19:08","slug":"old-town-hall","status":"publish","type":"what-to-see","link":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/what-to-see\/old-town-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Town Hall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perched atop a modest tuff ridge, along the access ramp to Bibbona\u2019s medieval castle, the Old Town Hall (Palazzo del Comune Vecchio)<\/strong> is one of the most historically significant buildings in the village. For centuries it was the heart of Bibbona\u2019s civil and political life, serving as the seat of the municipal government until 1990<\/strong>. Its origins trace back to the Middle Ages<\/strong>, although the exact date of construction remains unknown.<\/p>\n

A building devoted to public service<\/h4>\n

Before becoming the municipal seat, the structure served important functions: it was the Palazzo Pretorio<\/strong> and housed Bibbona\u2019s notarial office<\/strong>, playing a vital role in the administration of justice and civic affairs. Until 1785<\/strong>, the building stood next to the Porta del Sole<\/strong>, once the ancient entrance to the fortified stronghold\u2014now vanished, but still remembered in local tradition.<\/p>\n

Restorations and historical layers<\/h4>\n

Over the centuries, the building has undergone various restorations<\/strong>, notably during the 17th century<\/strong> under Medici rule<\/strong>. The two-level fa\u00e7ade bears a commemorative plaque<\/strong> marking the restoration commissioned by Cosimo II de\u2019 Medici in 1615<\/strong>, alongside the coat of arms of the Medici family<\/strong>, symbolizing Florence’s dominion over the region.<\/p>\n

On the left side of the fa\u00e7ade are conversion tables<\/strong> showing the transition from ancient Tuscan units of measurement<\/strong> to the metric system<\/strong>, introduced following the unification of Italy in 1860. These engraved charts are rare and fascinating relics of Italy\u2019s shift toward national modernization.<\/p>\n

The central balcony<\/strong>, meanwhile, dates back to the early 20th century<\/strong>, added during one of the building’s final architectural revisions.<\/p>\n

Inside: coats of arms and civic pride<\/h4>\n

Within the building, visitors can find a collection of stone coats of arms<\/strong> representing the Captains of Bibbona\u2019s community<\/strong>\u2014officials who governed the town across the centuries. These heraldic emblems are not just ornamental; they embody continuity in local governance<\/strong> and celebrate the village\u2019s rich civic heritage.<\/p>\n

A lasting symbol of Bibbona<\/h4>\n

Although no longer an administrative hub, the Old Town Hall<\/strong> remains a symbol of Bibbona\u2019s historical and cultural identity<\/strong>. It stands as a silent witness to the village\u2019s evolution through political changes, civic reforms, and architectural transformations. Between coats of arms and commemorative plaques, this building continues to tell the story of a proud and resilient Tuscan community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover Bibbona\u2019s Old Town Hall, a historic medieval building rich in civic heritage, Medici symbols, and architectural details, once the heart of local governance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":356480,"template":"","village-conntection":[162739],"what-to-see-region-and-provinces":[76214,76210],"what-to-see-category":[28445],"class_list":["post-357449","what-to-see","type-what-to-see","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","village-conntection-bibbona-en","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-livorno-en","what-to-see-region-and-provinces-tuscany","what-to-see-category-palace-villa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/357449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/what-to-see"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see\/357449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"village-conntection","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/village-conntection?post=357449"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-region-and-provinces","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-region-and-provinces?post=357449"},{"taxonomy":"what-to-see-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.e-borghi.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/what-to-see-category?post=357449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}