Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera

The architectural complex of Palazzo Vitelli alla Cannoniera was built between 1521 and 1545. The building consist of five sections. Its original nucleus is the central section with two windows set in stone frames. To it, the south wing in identical style but with a portico, no longer in existence, was added. In 1543 the vault over the street along the town wall was built to permit the enlargement of the mansion's main hall. The final part was the north wing with a loggia on four arches opening on the garden. The entire structure is of Florentine inspiration no doubt due to the Vitelli family 's closeties with Florence. The exterior was decorated with mural paintings (graffiti) done by Cristoforo Gherardi from 1532 to 1535 according to designs by Vasari, and can still be seen on the garden wall and the wall of hall no.  X. The vertical partitions of painted masonry enable us to distinguish the various construction phases, and the decorative elements in parallel lines exhalt the horizontal extension of the mansion. The external decoration of the south wing was redone in 1912 faithful to the original designs as a part of the restoration program of Elia Volpi.