Museo del Palazzo Comunale e del Loretino
Civic museum in the fourteenth-century Palazzo Comunale of San Miniato, with the Oratorio del Loretino and the frescoed halls of the Seven Virtues and of the Council.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Palazzo Comunale of San Miniato, still the seat of the Municipality today, dates back to the early fourteenth century, when it became the residence of the Dodici Signori, defenders of the people. Built on a single narrow, deep plot typical of medieval terraced houses, it was restored and extended several times, especially during the Florentine domination (1370–1500).
The museum, established in 2015 and accredited since 2019 as a Museo di Rilevanza Regionale (museum of regional importance), comprises three main spaces. On the ground floor is the Oratorio del Loretino, with a fifteenth-century cycle of frescoes on the life of Christ and a wooden tabernacle of 1529. From 1399 the miraculous Crucifix was kept here; in 1718 it was transferred to the new church opposite the palace.
On the first floor the Sala delle Sette Virtù, the oldest room in the palace, contains sacred and secular frescoes dating from the late fourteenth to the mid-sixteenth century, a rich set of coats of arms of the Florentine vicars and the Virgin nursing surrounded by the Virtues, a work by Cenni di Francesco di Ser Cenni. After restoration completed in April 2008, the Town Council meets in the nearby Sala del Consiglio, painted in 1928 by Francesco Galli Angelini in a neo-medieval style and part of the visitor route.
Highlights
- Oratorio del Loretino with fifteenth-century frescoes on the life of Christ
- Wooden tabernacle of 1529
- Sala delle Sette Virtù with frescoes from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century and coats of arms of the Florentine vicars
- Sala del Consiglio painted in 1928 by Francesco Galli Angelini
- Accredited as a Museo di Rilevanza Regionale (museum of regional importance)
Permanent exhibitions
- Oratorio del Loretino – Ground-floor chapel with fifteenth-century frescoes on the life of Christ and a wooden tabernacle of 1529.
- Sala delle Sette Virtù – The oldest room in the palace, with frescoes from the late fourteenth to the sixteenth century and coats of arms of the Florentine vicars.
- Sala del Consiglio – Hall painted in 1928 by Francesco Galli Angelini in a neo-medieval style, with coats of arms, portraits and images from the city's history.
- Founded
- 2015
- Operated by
- Comune di San Miniato
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3university students, young people under 18, over 65s, members of Unicoop Firenze, members of tourism and cultural associations, and members of TCI and FAI |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 14 · Free admission for children up to 14 years. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and a companion. |
| Groups | –Guided tours and workshops for groups and schools by booking with the secretariat of the San Miniato museum system. |
| Families | €10Family rate: 2 adults and one or more children under 18. |
| Reduced ticket for residents and pilgrims | €2 |
| Combined ticket for the Rocca di Federico II, Museo della Memoria and Museo del Palazzo Comunale | €6.50 |
Free admission also for accompanying teachers (2 for every 15 students), guides and tourist escorts, journalists, holders of an Edumusei Card and ICOM members.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance is accessible to wheelchair users, and the toilet is designed for wheelchair users.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops for groups and schools by booking with the secretariat of the San Miniato museum system (345 303 8991, sistemamuseale@comune.san-miniato.pi.it). |
