The Palazzo della Prefettura also called the Palazzo Scotti di Vigoleno is a

Baroque architecture Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means to ...

-style palace located on Via San Giovanni #17 in central

Piacenza Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...

, region of

Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both , ; or ; ) is an Regions of Italy, administrative region of northern Italy, comprising the historical regions of Emilia (region), Emilia and Romagna. Its capital is Bologna. It has an area of , and a population of 4.4 m ...

in Italy. The palace houses the offices of the provincial administration.

History

The palace was commissioned in 1717 by the Marchese Filippo Scotti, and completed in 1727. The architect was

Ignazio Cerri Ignazio () is a masculine Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: Arts *Ignazio Collino (1736–1793), Italian sculptor *Ignazio Gardella (1905–1999), Italian architect and designer * Ignazio Hugford (1703–1777), Italian pai ...

, and the palace was intended to house the extended family. The exterior is notable for its baroque balcony. The interior fresco decoration was completed with

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

scenes by

Francesco Natali Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis", is one of the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation) ...

and

Bartolomeo Rusca Bartolomeo or Bartolommeo is a masculine Italian given name, the Italian equivalent of Bartholomew. Its diminutive form is Baccio. Notable people with the name include: * Abramo Bartolommeo Massalongo (1824–1860), Italian paleobotanist and liche ...

. The ''Room of Honor'' in the palace, also called the ''Hall of Arms'' on the basis of the wall decorations has a ceiling fresco depicting the ''Triumph of the House of Scotti''. With the death of the Marchese Gaetano Scotti in 1876, the palace was sold for 70,000 lire to the Provincial government, who converted many of the rooms to offices. The building was looted and damaged in April 1945, at the end of the War, by first the fleeing Fascists and later the partisans.Prefettura of Piacenza
official site. In front of the main portal and across Via San Giovanni, in front of Palazzo Marliani, is a narrow public square splitting via del Tempio. In a small lawn was placed the bronze monument of ''La Grande Avventura'' placed on a small marble pedestal. The monument was completed by

Bruno Cassinari Bruno Cassinari (29 October 1912 – 26 March 1992) was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked in a style that mixed cubism, cubist and expressionism, expressionist elements. Biography Cassinari was born in Piacenza, a city in Italy’s Emi ...

in 1983 and depicts a youth on a rearing horse. The Monument was intended to celebrate the 2000 year anniversary of the foundation of the city of Piacenza in 118 BCE. On the granite base are inscribed lines from the poet

Salvatore Quasimodo Salvatore Quasimodo (; 20 August 1901 – 14 June 1968) was an Italian poet and translator, awarded the 1959 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his lyrical poetry, which with classical fire expresses the tragic experience of life in our own times" ...

''Each is alone in the heart of the earth'' ''Pierced by a ray of sun'' ''and suddenly it is night''

While Piacenza is famous for its aristocratic baroque equestrian statues of Farnese dukes in Piazza Cavalli, this small ensemble playful inverts the commanding presence of the horseman, but the reticent posture of an initial step.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prefettura, Piacenza Houses completed in the 18th century Baroque palaces in Piacenza Government buildings in Italy 18th-century architecture in Italy