Palazzo dell'Arengo is a historical building in Ascoli Piceno

Ascoli Piceno

Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...

, Marche

Marche

The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...

, central Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

.

It is formed by two distinct buildings, the Palazzo del Comune and the Arringo, which to the late 12th century. The Commune building was added in the 12th-14th centuries and, in the following century, both were acquired by the Apostolic Camera

Apostolic Camera

The Apostolic Camera, or in Latin Camera Apostolica or Apostolica Camera, is the central board of finance in the Papal administrative system, which at one time was of great importance in the government of the States of the Church, and in the administration of justice, led by the Camerlengo of the...

; it became the seat of the papal governor of the city until 1564. In 1610 Giambattista Cavagna, architect of the Sanctuary of Loreto, designed a common façade for the two buildings, although the works started only in 1695 under a renewed design by Giuseppe Giosafatti. The construction was completed in 1745.

The palace's façade is in travertine

Travertine

Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...

 blocks, with a five-arcaded portico in the center divided by rusticated

Rustication (architecture)

thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...

 pilaster

Pilaster

A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....

s. The first floor has windows with caryatid

Caryatid

A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town of Peloponnese...

s, while the upper floor has atlases

Atlas (architecture)

In the classical European architectural tradition an atlas is a support sculpted in the form of a man, which may take the place of a column, a pier or a pilaster...

. The rusticated portal gives access to the 13th century main hall: this is a three-nave room with eight bays covered by cross-vaults, supported by cylindrical columns. It was known as fondachi, and was used by the Ascoli citizens as judiciary hall, market and goods store.

The palace currently houses the Pinacoteca Civica (Municipal Art Gallery) and the mayor's office.