piazza Matteotti - Carmignano
The history
Not everyone is aware of the reason for the move of the Pretorian Palace to the current office nearly around two centuries ago.
In ancient times the office of the Palace was inside the walls of the Castle of Carmignano, where nowadays we can find the famous belfry and the ancient walls.
Unfortunately, the building which housed the Palace, could not save itself from the Cremoncini’s family, claiming property rights over the Palace and its territories since June 13, 1826. Even if the historical news related to such happenings are scarce, thanks to the book “Memorie storiche del Castello e del Comune di Carmignano”, written at the end of 1800 by Antonio Ricci, we can frame the historical evolution the Municipality was subject to through centuries.
Regarding the Cremoncini’s pretension, the Magistrate stated they had to show proof. Given that the building and the territories resulted in being property of the community since 1776, the Cremoncini’s request was suspended. Notwithstanding this first arrest, the two brothers continued claiming their property, and according to them, those territories where inappropriately inhabited. So, they made the Palace undervalued in order to appropriate the surrounding territories, isolating it and making it lacking of value.
This plan was favoured, perhaps unconsciously, by the administration, as the Podestà wanted to leave the Stronghold to move to the lower Carmignano, where the centre was developing. Under this clime, it was easy to convince the Municipal representative. The Bubbolini lined up with the Cremoncini, and together they planned to move all the local offices to Poggio a Caiano.
During the reunion of September 18 1826, the Magistrate found out the true aims of the adversaries and established the property of Mr. Filippo Bubbolini (originally build by the Marquise Manfredi Malaspina) as the new possible office of the Municipal Palace. The Magistrate rejected the project of purchase of the Bubbolini’s Palace and ordered a new office for the new Pretorian Palace to be build on the territory of the Goggi’s family. This project was promoted, but the Gonfalonier, aware of the aims of the Government, asked to move the Palace. It was decided then, that the property of the Bubbolini would be rented for nine years. Thanks to this decision, approved by the administration, the Cremoncini could become owners of the Pretorian Palace abandoned by that time.
In May 1827, Mr Filippo Cremoncini ensured that the boundary territories with the ex Pretorian Palace go under his control so that nobody could claim the right to access the Stronghold. In June, Luigi Cremoncini bought the Palace, a house, two vegetable gardens and some territories for 5.145 lire. Later everything was destroyed, as it was wanted by the Cremoncini’s family and at the same time, the project for the construction of the new Palace was interrupted. Finally, in 1834, the Magistrate decided to find some houses which could definitively house the Pretorian Palace. The properties of the Bruni, Gigli and Raffaelli were suggested.
In October, the house of the Bruni was chosen. However, one year passed, the deadline term of the contract with the Bubbolini was coming, and the purchase of the Bruni’s house hadn’t be regulated yet. On November 8 1835, the Gran Duke, ordered to buy the Bubbolini Palace, denying the negotiation with the Bruni. In the following years, other two properties were integrated in the Palace, so that the current organisation of the Pretorian Palace was reached.
Bibliography.
Antonio Ricci, Memorie storiche del Castello e del Comune di Carmignano.
