Magnificent complex of buildings, city art collection, spectacular recently restored frescoed ceilings and the greatest views over the main square. Spent 2hrs here including going to the clock tower. The main town hall rooms are free to enter, otherwise €8 for everything else. For the art gallery, information on specific pictures or rooms is minimal but there is a free QR code guide system which gives further detail as well as another QR guided system run by the MuseOn app which you pay a couple of €'s for which I didn't try.

Palazzo Comunale (also called Palazzo D'Accursio) is a large Medieval period complex located at Piazza Maggiore in the city centre of Bologna. Originally the residence of the Accurio family, the palace building became a Municipality building in 1336. Additional buildings and structures were added over the centuries providing the present complex that can be seen today. You can enter the ground floor courtyard and walk around a bit within Palazzo Comunale. Spending a few minutes to enjoy the exterior facade facing the main square is nice as well. The palazzo includes a 36 metre tall clock tower which you can access and climb (€10 per person). Ticket price includes entrance to the Municipal Are Collection Museum which is also located with the palace grounds.

There are 2 more palaces in the palazzo building – Palazzo d'Accursio and Palazzo del Legato. The Palazzo d'Accursio was the first to be built in 1290, named after the first owner, lawyer Francesco d'Accorso. In 1336, the palace was turned into the residence of Anziani – during the Middle Ages, this was the name of the city's managers, and since then, Accursio has become the seat of the city government. In 1425, the palace burned down. The restoration was led by Fioravanti Fioravanti, architect of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Perugia. During the reconstruction, a clock tower (Torre d'Accursio) was installed on top of the palace. The second thing that attracts attention in the exterior is the magnificent portal of the XVI century by Galeazzo Alessi. Above the Gothic portal there is a sculpture of Pope Gregory XIII, 1580. The most interesting inside is the staircase attributed to Bramante, the Baroque Senate hall, the red Empire-style hall and the Farnese Hall, where Emperor Charles V was crowned in 1530 to rule Italy.