A huge, majestic structure (such as a museum or a home), particularly in Italy. The word comes from the Latin for "large house." It may refer to: • A large palace or other grand building used by a single family or institution. Today, Italian palazzi are often luxurious hotels. • An old city hall or government office building. In many cases, Italian cities have several buildings of this type on the same street; they all share similar features such as large courtyards and ornate public spaces. • A large university lecture hall or classroom. These buildings are usually constructed out of white stone with black-tiled roofs in a neo-baroque style. • A theatrical studio used for filming scenes that will later be edited into a movie. These look like giant set pieces built for dramatic effect during production. • An arena for sports events. Modern arenas typically feature a dome for sound absorption and light reflection. • A church building with separate naves (aisles) for men and women, supported by columns placed at precise distances from each other.