The oldest parts of the Palazzo Mosca in Pisa date back to the 12th century. Together with the nearby Palazzo Gambacorti, it serves as the city’s town hall. Since 2019, it has also been owned by the municipality.
Palazzo Mosca Pisa
Useful information
The Palazzo Mosca has 2 facades, on the Lungarno Gambacorti 2-3 and on the Via Toselli.
History and description
The Palazzo Mosca is actually a complex of buildings consisting of a number of palaces joined together. The oldest one dates back to the 12th century and can be recognized by the detached stone pillars connected by an arch.
Between the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century, a similar structure, except for the laterizia bricks of the upper part, was added.
The tower houses date back to the 13th century.
In 1302 the Mosca di Ventura, a banker from San Gimignano, had Gerardo da Firenze construct a large luxurious palace between the already existing buildings. The detailed written order for this has been preserved.
In the following years, Mosca’s descendants attempted to add the adjacent buildings to this palace.
In the 17th century they succeeded in acquiring the entire complex, and it was at this time that it acquired its present appearance, with three rows of windows on the two main facades.
Along the grand staircase of the Palazzo Mosca are displayed 300 post-Impressionist paintings by French artists collected by the art dealer Bruno Bassano. The paintings were donated to the city of Pisa in 1975.