Piazza Signori description and photos - Italy: Verona (Topic)

Piazza Signori description and photos - Italy: Verona. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Piazza Signori.

Photo & Description

Piazza Signori, also known as Piazza Dante, is a splendid square located in the very center of Verona near Piazza del Erbe. Along the perimeter, it is surrounded by historical buildings that remind of the important role of this place in the political and social life of the city. Here you can see the Palazzo del Comune, Palazzo del Capitanio, Lodge del Consiglio, etc. The facades of the buildings are connected by elegant arches, most of which date back to the 14th century. Despite the variety of architectural styles presented in the square, in general, Piazza Signori has an organic look.

Not far from the Lodge del Consiglio, just behind the arch leading from Via delle Foggia, is the so-called House of Piety. At the beginning of the 15th century, this building was the property of a notary public. A noble citizen of Galasso Pio da Carpi was going to buy it, but by coincidence in 1409 the building passed into the possession of the House of Mercy. Most likely, it was during this period that it was rebuilt in a simple Renaissance style. Today, on the facade of the House, you can see a curious bas-relief depicting a seated woman holding a flag, and above it the inscription “Fide et Charitate in aeternum non deficiam”. The woman is a symbol of Verona, which is safe under the auspices of the Venetian Republic.

It is worth paying attention to the interesting arches of Piazza Signori. Before the construction of the Lodge del Consiglio was completed, the City Council decided to place a couple of statues on the archway leading from Via delle Foggia. Initially it was assumed that it would be a statue of Saint Zinon - the patron saint of Verona, but it turned out like this, that instead of him in 1559, a statue of Girolamo Fracastoro, a great physician, poet and astronomer, who holds a model of the globe, was installed on the arch. This statue immediately gave rise to a lot of folk tales - they said that Fracastoro would throw a ball on the head of the very first noble Veronese who would pass under the arch. In 1756, a statue of Scipione Maffei was installed on the arch leading from Via Barbaro, and in 1925 both statues were replaced by others - a statue of the historian and theologian Enrico Noris and a statue of the archaeologist Onofrio Panvinio.

The arch leading from the street Via Dante was built in 1575 in order to connect Palazzo del Comune and Palazzo del Capitanio. Finally, an arch from Via Santa Maria Antica connects Palazzo del Capitanio with Palazzo Podesta.

The landmark of Piazza Signori is the monument to the great Italian poet Dante. In 1865, Italy intended to solemnly celebrate the 600th anniversary of his birth. At the initiative of the Society of Fine Arts, it was decided to install a statue of Dante in Piazza Signori. The competition for the best project was announced back in 1863 - the only condition was that the statue of Carrara marble, 3 meters high, stood with its back to Via delle Fogge, and facing, accordingly, the Palazzo Scala, which symbolized free Italy. The winner of the competition was the young sculptor Ugo Zannoni, who on May 14, 1865 solemnly presented his creation to the people of Verona.

Perhaps it is still worth saying that today Piazza Signori is one of the most popular holiday destinations for urban youth - in the evenings it is filled with hundreds of students who play guitars, sing, organize capoeira competitions and dance in the style of flamenco.

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Topic: Piazza Signori description and photos - Italy: Verona.