ZANELLA PALACE

Located on the southern side of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, Zanella Palace is surely one of the most peculiar buildings: it is named after its last owners, and it is characterized by two unusual corolla-shaped chimneys made of cotto tiles. According to some historical maps, this architectural complex seems to have already existed in the 16th century, but some of the internal masonry, observable for example in the suggestive cellar, would refer the original construction to an older period, perhaps even medieval. Today’s façade shows 17th-century elements and forms, and the structure is surprisingly harmonious. The lightness of the ensemble can be clearly discerned in the slim columns, the airy arcades of the portico, the tall, wide windows and the graceful iron balconies with curved profiles.