Wording Western Birthday Invitation

1773 The Town Hall, Marradi

Si costruisce il nuovo Pretorio
on the foundations of an old building
Claudio Mercatali

The Praetorian in 1898

The Praetorian Palace of Marradi to the late eighteenth century was badly reduced, and it was decided to restructure it completely. This is why the Grand Duke granted a Royal Decree in 1500 with shields dated August 23, 1773. But this was a contribution, and to meet the total cost had to raise taxes in the years 1774 to 1775. Even Palazzuolo was called to compete spending, because the palace was the seat of the new Vicariate (= court), which included both the municipalities and replaced the old podesterie, which had been suppressed.

The first visit of a technician was not very comforting:

"I signed in June 1772, I visited the Praetorian Palace of Marradi. This building is made of a bad building, full of insights, log off, with part of the lodge out of plumb. It should undo and redo much of the main wall and put four chains that have come straight from the bottom to keep the factory, which is battered and moist ... ".

What is it, day in August 12, 1772 Augustine Fortini, engineer

Work began in 1773. Meanwhile, the court of the new Vicariate had begun to function a bit 'provisional:

"The notary of this tribunal being in the building complained that the Praetorian is claimed to require him to take a Palazzuolo, instead of finding a convenient dwelling in this region. According to the laws in force in time when there will be over the Praetorian, it's a neighborhood where he can keep his house without any burden or expense. And the rest. "

The Notary Filippo Cioni civil March 15, 1774

During construction there were variations in the arcade (which was only five strings and not seven as today) and it was decided to build the Torre dell ' clock. This made double the cost. Palazzuolo protested and asked to contribute only to the extent originally planned and so started a fight. Q hen the bill came to spending doubled in Florence, together with the protests Palazzuolo, the Curator Grand Duke wrote this letter very hard and beautiful to bearer of Marradi:

"I received your Excellency's letter dated May 30, and with it some of the documents I should richiestili for clarification of the reasons for this community in order to Marradi Pretorile the Palace and also receive a limited number of reasons for the same community against the Palazzuolo. All this is fine, but if I am not mistaken I believe that still there are missing other documents, because they do not understand how having proposed that the General Council a plan that leads to the expenditure of 1,500 crowns, which was approved by the Sovereign with his daily RD August 23 1773, and then you could go shopping for 3317 crowns. I understand very well that in addition to the spending plan will be divided by that of the porch, you will be that of Neurologists, the Leaning Tower and something else, but if you have to make excuses needed for this kit yet the appropriate documents. So encourage your Excellency to get back everything you have in the Chancellery MISUSE about this deal. We will add all the decisions of the General Council (the City Council = ) and the Suns of Seat (= priors, that is, the assessors ), so we see com'ei strives to know the good and bad for can make the appropriate bill. Please advise us if the appeal made by Palazzolo for exemption from the expenditure was made Palazzuolo completed in 1774 or after the factory and if it were made before the termination of the factory sending me that paper that was done. "

The square of Marradi and Pretoria in 1822, (register Leopold).

Even during the construction there was a mess and a certain Gaetano Plans complained because a wall of new building had been built on his property. In the end the foreman admitted the fact and the plan was compensated:

"I signed at the foot expert mason, foreman for the reconstruction of the Praetorian Palace accept the truth pure and true to have occupied a piece of the court pertaining to the home of Mr. Francesco Gaetano was the tops, and that I used a wall of his support and he had walled up a window from which you could see more light of what has been opened again. I respect and assess the damage in 28 Florentine coins (crowns). In witness whereof I Stefano Mazza say the above

Who is responsible for the maintenance of new buildings pretorili Vicariate venues? Given the bitter dispute between the Grand Duke Marradi Palazzuolo intervened and peremptory:

The plan of the first floor of the Praetorian Palace in 1773 before the renovation (click on map to enlarge)

"His Royal Highness, wanting to remove any doubt about the costs maintenance of the Praetorian Palace, saw fit to declare that such expenses are considered ordinary and touch on the various communities. In the event that a Praetorian Palace to serve more communities, and you do not find agreement in the apportionment of costs, each community will contribute an amount equal to that every year commitment to its Podesteria deleted. Florence, February 6, 1776

To activate the new Vicariate also served as prisons, which were in the back of the City. Thus in 1776 by Florence wanted to know if the prisons were over and fit:

"I want to know your lordship (the Gonfaloniere) in which status it has Codest Praetorian palace and its prisons, and whether they are habitable without endangering the health of those who were seated. She then together in this latter Vicar who also write for the istesso object, will be pleased to commit to two assessors bricklayers, a doctor and the surgeon carried out a visit to these jails and will make a report of their feelings. Favour to forward the report, saying even what you think your Lordship, who will attend the visit. I would like to secure a response to decide whether it is appropriate to delay the opening of the new Vicariate of the Court and with sincere esteem I confirm ". From Legations of trafficking, Florence, September 10 1776

Finally at the end of 1776 the work was finished and inaugurated the new clock tower, built by craftsman in Florence Baggiacchi Joseph, who released this warranty:

"I infrascritto, having sold at the price fixed at Marradi Magistrate of a clock tower and conveniently apostle in the new tower of the City, by virtue of this obligation and I promise you that if that clock were to suffer in the course of three years, any alteration or defect of 'art, readjustment of all my expenses and put it back in that state of This is found under the obligation and that of my own person, property and assets and heirs of 'my heirs, present and future, and so be done. "

I Baggiacchi Joseph, watchmaker, everything I say, in some appointments, amen June 11, 1776

Bibliography Documents Archive town of Marradi