Palazzo delle Paure: A Historic Customs and Museum Complex in Lecco
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.4
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Italy
- Primary era
- Modern
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Italian
- Site type
- Civic
- Remains
- Palace
On this page10 sections
History
Palazzo delle Paure is a historic public building in Lecco, Italy, originally built in 1905 as the Palazzo della Dogana, or customs house. The present structure was constructed after the original building was demolished in 1916, and it follows an eclectic neo-medieval style that combines medieval motifs with elements from different historical traditions.
Customs and Finance Offices
The building was commissioned by the finance administration and served as a centre for public offices. It housed the finance administration, land registry, and customs offices until 1964. The land registry dealt with records of property and land parcels, while the customs office controlled goods entering or leaving the territory. These functions led to the building’s popular name, Palazzo delle Paure.
The complex also includes an arcaded building erected in 1902 for the Chamber of Commerce by the architect Adriano Gazzari. The Chamber was later suppressed by the Fascist government and moved to Palazzo Falck in 2004. The palace itself served as a school for several years after its administrative use ended.
From Public Offices to Museum
After a complete renovation, Palazzo delle Paure was inaugurated as a museum on 6 October 2012. On the same day, its second floor opened as part of the municipal gallery, which had been established at Villa Manzoni in 1983. The gallery’s holdings include works by artists from the Lecco area, including Tino Stefanoni and Alfredo Chiappori, alongside works by nationally significant artists such as Enrico Castellani, Enrico Baj, Alik Cavaliere, and Giò Pomodoro.
The ground floor has been used for temporary exhibitions, including a 2014 exhibition devoted to Pablo Picasso. Since 26 June 2016, the third floor has housed the Lecco Mountaineering Observatory, a permanent exhibition presenting the history of mountaineering and the achievements of mountaineers from the Lecco area. Its subject places mountain culture within the identity of Lecco. The building remains owned by the Municipality of Lecco.
Remains
Palace and Tower
Main Building
Palazzo delle Paure stands in central Piazza XX Settembre, with additional fronts toward the lakeside promenade and Piazza Cermenati. The four-storey building has an eclectic neo-medieval appearance and forms part of a museum complex. Its architecture has been described as visually discordant with the surrounding houses and with the configuration of the square.
The entire perimeter of the ground floor is faced with rusticated masonry, a treatment that emphasizes rough surfaces and strong joints to give the base a heavier, monumental character. This solid lower level contrasts with the openings and upper-storey elevations of the building.
North Tower
A rectangular tower was added on the north side around 1926. A Visconti coat of arms from the nearby former feudal praetorium is set into the tower. The Visconti were a powerful ruling dynasty of Milan, and their heraldic emblem was associated with buildings connected to their authority. The tower also contains a three-light window, divided into three vertical openings, facing Piazza Cermenati.
Arcaded Building and Entrances
Chamber of Commerce Building
The adjoining arcaded building, constructed in 1902, connects with the lakeside promenade and Piazza XX Settembre through its openings. These arcades form a distinct part of the complex and link the building’s public spaces with the surrounding urban areas.
Restored Entrance
Following the 2012 restoration, the openings of the adjoining building became the principal entrance to the museum complex. The entrance arrangement therefore uses the arcaded structure as the point through which the palace and its associated exhibition spaces are accessed.
Nearby sites
