Communal Palaces in the Venetian Territorial State (15th-16th Centuries): The Case of Treviso

Beginning in the 15th century, the reconstruction of Venetian state communal palaces, which served as the institutional seats of the city councils and judiciaries, was often seen as an opportunity for civic magistrates, along at times with Venetian officers, to develop plans to renovate their cities. These projects often led to the enlargement of central districts and to the transformation of cities’ roads and squares. I look at communal palaces from across the Venetian territorial state, focusing on Treviso, which clearly elucidates how the modification of public buildings often led to a redefinition of central urban space. An array of mostly unpublished drawings proposing urban redevelopment projects that were not always realised are key to reconstructing the city’s history, demonstrating better than other documents how communal palaces have enhanced its fabric.