Museo Civico - for an artistic display in the Town Hall

It’s hard to escape Pistoia’s main square as it’s the city shop window. Opposite the Palazzo del Podestà is the Palazzo del Comune, the Town Hall where Pistoia’s city council has sat since the 14th century. The Town Hall dates from the beginning of Pistoia's short but proud period as an independent republic. It boasts a harmonious façade of arches and mullioned windows, decorated with the Medici coat of arms and a grim black marble head. Inside is a courtyard and sweeping staircase, and sculptures by local artist Marino Marini, often based on his favourite theme of riders and horses.

Upstairs awaits the wide-ranging city art collection of the Museo Civico, which displays frescoes, paintings and medieval panels rescued from long-closed churches. This Civic Museum is not a star-studded Florentine collection of masterpieces but a modest array of treasures from Pistoia and the Florentine hinterland, showcasing Tuscan art ranging from the 13th to 20th centuries. Even so, in typical city style, the underrated collection over-delivers. The highlights include a rare 13th-century painting of St Francis and charming polychrome wooden sculptures.

If your head is spinning from a surfeit of culture, head to neighbouring Piazza della Sala for a break over coffee or wine. Dubbed "La Sala" by the pistoiesi, this small square is home to wine bars, cafés and restaurants, as well as a daily market. (See Eating & Drinking for our tips).


Address: Museo Civico, Piazza del Duomo, 51100 Pistoia
Tel: 0573 371296
Web: www.comune.pistoia.it/museocivico