Matera, except for a brief glimpse of the sixteenth century, has always been a free city, administered by its citizens. The Palace of the Seat was the seat of the Bagliva, city assembly responsible for the control of civic uses, composed of the Bàjulo and representatives of the two sides, ten administrators appointed for the people and ten for the nobility, plus four for each of the secretarial parties. Since 1927 the Sedile has been replaced in Italy by the Commissariat for the Liquidation of Civic Uses, a court run by a special magistrate. The palace built in 1575, was enlarged and renovated later in the Rococo style in 1759. It was the seat of the Town Hall until 1944 and today is the prestigious seat of the Presidency of the Conservatory of Music, established in 1965 and named after the musician Egidio Romualdo Duni (1708-1775), author of about thirty melodramas. The facade with the two bell towers encloses the statues symbol of good governance: justice, fortress, moderation and prudence. Above are the statues of Saint Eustace, protector of the city and symbol of military strength, and Saint Irene, guarantor of peace.