The seat of medieval Ascoli's elected captains, the Palazzo dei Capitani anchors the west side of Piazza del Popolo. The arcaded front, with its slender colonnade and pierced upper storey, is the visual centrepiece of the whole square. The 16th-century clock tower rises above the south corner.
The inner courtyard preserves fragments of a Roman cistern below the medieval floors and a small archaeological display. Free to enter during office hours; the upper rooms occasionally host temporary exhibitions. A useful five-minute stop after sitting on the piazza.