The Palazzo Senatorio, also known as the Palazzo Cavarretta, stands at the centre of the old town at the intersection of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Garibaldi. It is Trapani's most photogenic secular building — a two-story baroque facade with curved central section, statuary, and a clock tower topped by a belfry. Built in the early 18th century, it served as the seat of the city senate and later as city hall.
The building is now used for civic purposes and is not always open to the public, but the facade is a set piece worth examining closely. The statue niches on the upper level contain allegorical figures, and the overall composition is well-balanced despite the apparent excess of baroque ornament. The main square in front of it, Piazza Lucatelli, is the social centre of the old town. The Porta Oscura — a medieval gate tower that now serves as the city's clock tower — stands immediately adjacent.