Palazzo del Capitano, Todi

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In Piazza del Popolo, the heart of the city since Roman times, you'll be surrounded by the most representative historical buildings, principal seats of the civil courts and the episcopal power of the municipality. Palazzo del Capitano overlooks the eastern side of the square, next to the Palazzo del Popolo which it joins at the back. Built at the end of the 13th century to host Council meetings, it was the second public building built on the square and is therefore also called Palazzo Nuovo, to distinguish it from the older Palazzo del Popolo; it is considered one of the first municipal buildings in Italy, already present in the square at the beginning of the 13th century!
The facade of the Palazzo del Capitano is characterised by the harmonious composition of Gothic decorative elements. On the ground floor, there are two round arches that lead to the so-called voltoni, a porticoed area that was originally home to the crossbowmen who guarded the Palace and the Piazza, which until the 16th century was accessed through four corner gates. There are three impressive Gothic poly-lobed 3-light mullioned windows on the first floor, surmounted by gabled motifs that allow light to flood into the large room, with remnants of frescoes dating back to the 14th century; it was originally the courtroom of the Capitano, and is now used by the Town Council. If you've already visited Perugia, you will notice stylistic similarities with the windows on the second floor of the Palazzo dei Priori!
At the top of the Palazzo Comunale, the four-light mullioned windows surmounted by a round arch open onto the Pinacoteca Civic Museum, which is housed on the top floor of both the Palazzo del Capitano and the Palazzo del Popolo, linked by a 17th-century walkway. Refurbished and reopened to the public in 1997, the Todi civic museum of was established in 1871 and was initially based in the Sala del Capitano, now the Sala del Consiglio in the Palazzo del Capitano. 

Accessibility – The Civic Museum of Todi

The Museum is reachable with public transportation: the nearest bus stop of the line C, connecting the railway station to the historical centre, is located in Piazza Jacopone, about 120 metres from the museum’s entrance. For those using their own vehicles, Piazza del Popolo is located within the LTZ (LIMITED TRAFFIC ZONE) where you can access just if you are in possession of a disabled permit. There are car parks reserved for disabled in the adjacent Piazza Garibaldi; in the event they were occupied, it’s possible to park in those reserved for residents (white and yellow stripes). 

If all car parks were busy it’s also possible to park directly in Piazza del Popolo, but not when it’s pedestrian area. The Museum is accessible by people with motor difficulties or who need a wheelchair, except for the big hall hosting the Sections from the 4th to the 8th of the Urban Museum. The access to guide dogs is allowed to facilitate the visit by people with impaired sight or blind. Audio guides are not available and there are neither captions nor braille or raised information forms.