Palazzo dei Giureconsulti, Milan — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Palazzo dei Giureconsulti is a Renaissance gem hiding in plain sight, tucked into Piazza Mercanti just steps from the Duomo. Built beginning in 1562, the palace was designed by architect Vincenzo Seregni and funded by Giovanni Angelo Medici, who would later become Pope Pius IV. It replaced a 13th-century structure and served as the seat of the Collegio dei Nobili Dottori, a prestigious school that trained Milan's future politicians and lawyers. The building's bell tower has a story all its own. Preserved from an earlier structure by Napo Torriani, it houses a bell nicknamed "Zavataria" after its donor, Zavatario della Strada. This bell was rung to announce major civic events, including, rather grimly, public executions. In 1809, the Chamber of Merchants moved in and established Milan's first Stock Exchange in the west-side room, marking the palazzo's shift from education to commerce. World War II brought severe damage from 1943 aerial bombing, but careful postwar restoration brought the palazzo back to life. The painter J.M.W. Turner captured its relationship to the Duomo in celebrated 1829 sketches of Piazza Mercanti. Today, the palazzo serves as an events venue and a quiet contrast to the bustling square outside. Questo's Milan adventures take you through Piazza Mercanti, where medieval and Renaissance history overlap in every archway.