The Merchants Guildhall

At the outset of the 13th century, if not earlier, many city states in Central and Southern Italy saw the emergence of merchant guilds which were to become powerful civic actors, drawing up laws and charters to regulate commerce, and acting as a counterweight to the civil authorities which governed cities with other laws and evolved into the medieval commune.

In Perugia the Mercanzia (Guild of Merchants) played a prominent role in the life of the city dominating the other guilds for centuries. The two leaders of the Priori (ten aldermen who governed the commune) were drawn by right from the guild giving it a strong control over city affairs. The economic might of the guild enabled it act as creditor to finance the commune’s civic works, wars and also relief work in times of plagues, drought and famine. At the end of the 14th century, in exchange for these debts, the commune ceded the ground floor of the Palazzo Comunale to the Mercanzia: the Collegio (Merchants Guildhall) was established, furnished and decorated as you see it now and thereon managed as a property of the guild.