Magnifica Patria Palace (Palazzo della Magnifica Patria)

On the lakefront, as evidence of glorious epochs, the Palazzo del Podestà or Capitano Rettore, built on the design of Jacopo Sansovino (1524), was the seat of the Council of the "Magnifica Patria", now used as the Municipal Palace; a part of the current building is a reconstruction of the original that was lost during the 1901 earthquake.

In the sixteenth century Salò enters the orbit of Venice, the most important city from an economic, strategic and military point of view. Venice, from the 14th century, dominated almost all of this territory up to the Adda river, which marked the border with the Visconti of Milan. In Salò there were 52 communes, from Bedizzole to Limone, which all together were called "Magnifica Patria".

In the coffered ceiling of the loggia are the coats of arms of all the Municipalities that were part of the Magnifica Patria. The symbol of Venice is the "lion" and you can see several scattered in the Town Hall.The most obvious one is under the Loggia and over the years has undergone several mutilations for vandalism of historical significance. Under the Loggia are also preserved some gravestones that celebrate the visit to Salò of historical figures such as King Vittorio Emanuele, Giuseppe Mazzini, Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, during the period of the unification of Italy.

The Magnificent Motherland was founded around 1300-1380; some fragments of the Loggia fresco date back to that period. Over the centuries the Town Hall has undergone a series of transformations; the upper floor was connected by a bridge to the back house which was the residence of the Provveditore, who went to the Hall of Provveditori directly from his home.

The brown arch that can be seen under the arcades, marks the very limit between the new construction (1901), which was rebuilt in the style of the time and the old part. Entering the palace you can see the Roman columns that served to delimit the streets of the time.