Description of the attraction
The Town Hall of Salerno was inaugurated in April 1936. The four-storey building covers an area of 5 thousand square meters. with a covered pedestrian area and a central patio that is accessed by stairs. The design of the building is made in the style typical of the fascist regime of those years.
The Hall of Receptions, better known today as Zala dei Marmi (Marble), is the most important of all. It was there in 1944 that the Italian Council of Ministers and UN representatives met for the first time. The hall is also famous for its multicolored marble flooring and red, blue and gold mosaics on the walls. It is also decorated with paintings by local artist Pasquale Avallone and oval fountain-shaped lamps. Also noteworthy is a group of bronze sculptures made by the master Gaetano Chiaromonte, which has recently been restored.
Next to Zala dei Marmi is the Zala delle Commissioni, also known as Zala Giunta - the Council Chamber. And opposite the Marble Hall is the Hall del Gonfalone with a square glass ceiling. From it you can get to the reception and offices of the mayor of the city, the vice-mayor and the general secretary.
Almost the entire first floor of the City Hall is occupied by the Theater Augusteo: a spacious monumental hall, the main feature of which is a vaulted ceiling made of reinforced concrete. The illumination of this hall is provided by a hundred small neon lamps. The total capacity of the theater is about seven hundred people. It has recently been renovated and opened to the public after several years of neglect.
Next to the City Hall there is a garden, which was laid out in 1874 according to the project of the architect Casalbora. In those years, it was one of the most important connecting lines between the old town, located in the northeastern part of Salerno, and major urban centers. For almost 150 years of its history, the garden has been filled with various statues and rare plants. There you can also see the fountain known as Don Tullio or Esculapio, made back in 1790. Recently, a large project was implemented on the territory of the garden, during which new flower beds with rare Mediterranean plants were laid out here.
