It is where official state ceremonies take place, and it is the seat of the Republic's main institutional and administrative bodies: the Captains Regent, the Grand and General Council, the Council of XII, and the Congress of State.
[1][2] The main section of the building is topped by battlements over a series of corbels.
The overall design is similar to the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, but on a much smaller scale.
Following a century of minimal alteration, concerns over the structure's safety and functionality warranted a complex restoration project.
The intervention was completed by the internationally renowned architect Gae Aulenti and an inauguration ceremony for the newly restored building was held on 30 September 1996.