The Praetorian Palace of San Giovanni Valdarno is located exactly in the centre of the city, between the two main squares. The building, better known as Palazzo d’Arnolfo, was born with political purposes between the end of the thirteenth and the beginning of the fourteenth century: here was the seat of the representative of the Florentine Commune, as well as the Council of the community, and some of its rooms were used for the storage of cereals to keep safe the reserves in case of war or famine.
Today, as in the past, it is still the reference point for the entire village and for its beauty and strategic location in the heart of the Arno valley.
On the particular front facade there are about 250 coats of arms relating to the various podestà and vicars who have succeeded each other over the years. Some of these are particularly beautiful, coloured in glazed terracotta and executed by the expert hands of Luca, Andrea and Giovanni della Robbia. The loggias and the sides of the palace also have ornaments and commemorative plaques.
The rear façade, on the other hand, has a more sober and slender line, dominated by the clock tower facing the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Above the arches there is a half-bust sculpture depicting the most illustrious citizen of the town: Masaccio, from whom the square it overlooks also takes its name.
The interior is divided into two floors and is the seat of the Museo delle Terre Nuove. On the ground floor there is also a room dedicated to the various transformations and renovations undergone over time by the entire building.
Worth seeing at the entrance is the sculpture of the Marzocco of Florence and the beautiful stone staircase that leads to the upper floor.
