Palazzo del Podestà

In the centre of Lastra a Signa, near the tabernacle of the same name, on via dell'Arione, stands the Palazzo del Podestà, ancient seat of the political power of Lastra.

On the facade of the two-storey building are displayed, according to tradition, the coats of arms of the podestà who have ruled Lastra. Inside you can still see some excellent frescos, including one portraying the Madonna among the Saints Michele, Pietro, Martino and Stefano, dating back to the early 15th century and attributed to a painter of the Florentine School  who grew around Bicci di Lorenzo. The same subject is also portrayed on a panel, once found in the palace and nowadays kept in the town hall, the work of a Florentine painter of the second half of the 16th century, close to Michele di Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio.
The last restoration works have recovered further interesting frescos, that decorate the rooms and the outer side of the building, painted between the 15th and 17th centuries.

The Palazzo del Podestà now houses many municipal offices.