Palazzo dei Vicari is the ancient judiciary seat of a wide area corresponding to the Mugello. Today, it appears as the result of a process of architectural enlargement and improvement carried out around the tower, that was its original nucleus.

As far as the tower is concerned, it can be asserted that it was built in the XIV century, while the city was being built, and it represented the highest point of the Captain's residence. The first enlargement works were carried out in 1366. Some changes in the "Camera del Cassero" and restoration works in other areas were also realized. It history is characterized by the seismic events that have affected its life.
Yet, the Palazzo got its current appearance in the XVI century, after the terrible earthquake of 1542. In effect, the earth tremors seriously damaged the building and obliged the inhabitants of Scarperia to repair and restructure it several times, giving the Palazzo its final structure. Its reconstruction also caused the change of the prisons into the current lodge on the ground floor.
In 1611, new earthquake led to new works that were not as radical as those carried out in the previous years, but they were sufficient to further modify the appearance of the Palazzo. They were mainly realized because of the barbicans placed to reinforce the walls, and of the installation of a span roof on the façade that was later plastered. Most of the works were made on the outside rather than on the skeleton of the building. More consolidation works were achieved after the last earthquake in the 1960's.
The façade of the Palazzo dei Vicari is ornated by numerous family emblems left by the Vicars when they were appointed. Many of them were made in the ancient and renowned art of glazed earthenware and were produced in the shops of the Della Robbia and of Benedetto Buglioni.
Moreover, two XIV-century frescoes, can still be seen on he left wall of the left atrium. They are the "Incredulità di San Tommaso" and a "Madonna in trono con Santi", where the patron of the city, San Barnaba, holds the emblem of the Palazzo in his hand. Frescoes and decorations are present in almost all the rooms of the Palazzo. A space for one of the most important Florentine historic Archives, keeping documents and acts dating from the XV century to the Unity of Italy, has been created in the attic .
Moreover, the Palazzo is the seat of the "Museo dei Ferri Taglienti" dedicated to a kind of craft that has disappeared.