Palazzo Vecchio is the name of the building that houses Florence’s city government. It has served this role from the start of its construction in 1290, although it was first called Palazzo della Signoria (the name you see reflected in the current piazza of the same name).Much of Palazzo Vecchio is open to the public and can be visited as a museum. For more information visit the website of the Civic Museums of Florence.Other parts of the building are not part of the regular tourist visit because they are in use by the city government, either as offices or as locations for important council meetings. The following are the main rooms used for these purposes.