In the heart of the historic centre of Domodossola stands Palazzo San Francesco, one of the city’s most emblematic buildings, now home to the Gian Giacomo Galletti Civic Museums. Its origins date back to the 13th century, when it was built as Gothic church with an adjoining convent of the Friars Minori; it was one of the first Franciscan convents in northern Italy. Over the centuries, with the suppression of religious orders, the complex was transformed into a civic building and given various new uses. The Galletti Foundation purchased it in 1881 to house its own collections, before ceding it in 1984 to the Municipality, which, after an important restoration, reopened it to the public in 2021. Today, the museum extends over several floors. On the first floor is the section of natural sciences, alongside a rich archaeological and historical display illustrating the evolution of Ossola from prehistoric to the modern age. The second floor houses the section of sacred and Ossolan art, with works ranging from the 15th to the 18th centuries. On the ground floor, finally, are the rooms of the ancient convent church, used for temporary exhibitions. The room’s atmosphere, among frescoes and historic architecture, offers visitors an immersion in time.
Just a few steps away is the elegant and refined Palazzo Silva, a noble residence that narrates another chapter of Ossola’s history. Built in the 14th century and transformed in the 16th century by the Silva family, it preserves the charm and power of Renaissance noble residences; elegant stone portals, ornate windows, an internal courtyard and richly decorated rooms with wooden ceilings, monumental chimneys and frescoes. In 1882, the Galletti Foundation turned it into a museum, now known as The Museo di Palazzo Silva. Inside, there are collections of armour, ancient weapons, musical instruments, furniture and a rich collection of paintings and portraits that documents the life and power of Ossolan nobility between the Middle Ages and the 19th century. A fascinating architectural element is the spiral graphite stone staircase that connects the different floors, starting from the underground.
Visiting the two palaces means traveling through centuries of history, spirituality and art; testimonies of a territory that has managed to preserve its own identity. Two unmissable stops for those who wish to discover the profound soul of Domodossola.