by Redazione 06/11/2026
Categories: News / Disclaimer
Milan: The redevelopment project for Palazzo della Ragione and Casa dei Panigarola has been approved, representing an investment of approximately 8.8 million euros. The spaces within the buildings on Piazza dei Mercanti will be used for events, conferences, and cultural initiatives. The project also includes a panoramic elevator and a new access route to the Sala Grande.
Palazzo della Ragione, one of Milan’s oldest historic buildings, is set to undergo a change of use and become a new cultural and conference center. The redevelopment project approved by the City Council aims to restore the spaces of the building on Piazza Mercanti to full usability, integrating them with those of the nearby Casa dei Panigarola. The project, with a total cost of approximately 8 million 798 thousand euros, includes restoration, structural reinforcement, compliance with fire safety regulations, and the renovation of building systems, as well as a series of improvements to enhance accessibility.
Among the project’s most significant changes are the construction of a new steel-and-glass staircase and the installation of a panoramic elevator, which will also allow people with disabilities to independently reach the Great Hall of Palazzo della Ragione. The existing emergency staircase will also be reinforced and brought up to code. The emergency exit system will be reorganized with three exits located at the ends of the Great Hall: a solution that will allow the entire space to be utilized and increase capacity to approximately 500 people.
The City Council approved the Technical-Economic Feasibility Study regarding the restoration, repurposing, energy efficiency improvements, and fire safety compliance upgrades for the two buildings. The project was presented by the Milan-Monza-Brianza-Lodi Chamber of Commerce, the concessionaire for the spaces in Palazzo della Ragione and Casa dei Panigarola, which together occupy a gross floor area of 1,278 square meters.
The concession has a term of thirty years and includes cultural purposes, in addition to the enhancement, redevelopment, and management of the properties. The new intended uses include the organization of events, conferences, and cultural programs. However, part of the year will remain reserved for the City: for three months, from mid-November to mid-February, the spaces will be available to Milan’s Department of Culture.
The project specifically involves the Great Hall of Palazzo della Ragione, the staircases designed by Marco Dezzi Bardeschi, and the rooms of the Casa dei Panigarola. In addition to structural work and the installation of new accessibility infrastructure, the project will include a complete renovation of the building systems, with the goal of improving the buildings’ energy efficiency and bringing them into compliance with fire safety regulations. The work is expected to take approximately twelve months, with completion scheduled by the end of 2028.
The Deputy Mayor in charge of Urban Regeneration, Anna Scavuzzo, and the Councilor for Culture, Tommaso Sacchi, emphasized their commitment to restoring this historic space to the city through new exhibition, cultural, and conference facilities. According to the administration’s plans, the project should also help boost the area’s appeal to tourists.
The Chamber of Commerce will play a central role in the future management of the spaces, having already gained experience in organizing events and initiatives at the nearby Palazzo Giureconsulti. “We have invested in the redevelopment and future management of Palazzo della Ragione with the goal of restoring a revitalized space to the city, one destined to become a new hub for meetings and events in Milan,” stated Elena Vasco, Secretary General of the Milan-Monza-Brianza-Lodi Chamber of Commerce.
Vasco also linked the project to a broader program aimed at enhancing the city’s historic real estate heritage and promoting the region’s economic development. Among the recently completed projects, she highlighted the restoration and safety upgrades to the monumental facades of Palazzo Mezzanotte—home to the Italian Stock Exchange—along with a new lighting system. She also announced the November 3 inauguration of Orsole 4, a project to revitalize an entire city block in the historic center located between the ancient Roman decumanus, the Roman Theater, Santa Maria alla Porta, and Via Meravigli, which is intended to house the companies affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to the restoration of these two buildings, the City intends to collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce to conduct further studies on the regeneration of Piazza Mercanti and the surrounding areas. The goal is to enhance the urban environment through decorative elements and street furniture, thereby improving the square’s appeal and making it more accessible to both Milanese residents and visitors. The project therefore concerns not only the architectural restoration of Palazzo della Ragione and Casa dei Panigarola, but also the redefinition of the functions of a historic area in downtown Milan, with the intention of combining the preservation of the buildings with a new public and cultural use.
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| Milan Wants to Return Piazza Mercanti to the City: Palazzo della Ragione Will Become a Cultural Hub |
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