Palazzo Ducale

The building was started in 1563 by Alberico I Cybo-Malaspina, as the seat of the court. The first group was facing Via Guidoni, with the facade opening onto a garden. A second project involved the raising of the house to harmonize, taking into account the structure and use of materials in harmony with the existing ones. After the two interventions, the Palace appeared in the shape of "L", with two facades. The Alberico's successors  have made further changes, entrusting architect Alessandro Bergamini, to the prospects of the building, with the characteristic red color, the courtyard, with the Neptune's Cave, the frescoes in the hall and the marble statues. The exterior, as the interior, is full of windows decorated with stucco and marble portals: two rooms are painted in the vaults by Stefano Lemmi (1702); climbed the sumptuous staircase you get to the main floor, where the rooms are preceded by a porch decorated with marble columns and stucco. In the Palace there is also the so-called Ducal Theatre. The third floor is currently used as office locations of the Province and the Prefecture.