A nice surprice at Pistoia

In Italy you don't need to enter a museum to immerse yourself in art. Just stroll through the streets of our cities or small villages and observe buildings, gates, monuments scattered in every corner and immediately take a step back into history. If you happen to visit the city of Pistoia, just a 10-minute drive from our farmhouse, we recommend that you venture inside the municipal building. This is the Palazzo degli Anziani, a wonderful 14th century building located right in the main square. It is open to the public in its common areas and, except for events or meetings, by climbing the ancient stone staircase you can access the wonderful main hall. It has happened several times to enter without people and to find ourselves catapulted into a magical atmosphere of other times. Here the wonderful wooden ceiling left us open-mouthed; a work of art to leave you speechless. In addition to this, it is possible to admire a fresco from the 1300s by Giotto's school and a carved walnut furniture from the 1500s. Above the entrance to the splendid Ghibelline room, intended for city council meetings, it is possible to admire a relief with the coat of arms of the city and a large fresco inside. Not to be missed in Pistoia.