The Piazza dei Signori is located next to the Piazza delle Erbe in Verona. Of the two, the Piazza dei Signori is the most stately and is characterized by a number of prestigious buildings. In the middle of the square stands Dante admiring the surroundings.
Piazza dei Signori Verona
The Piazza dei Signori resembles a large courtyard and is located between a number of monumental buildings connected by porches and arcades.
These buildings were among the most important palaces in the political and administrative life of the city. Some of these buildings had a number of different functions over the centuries.
Tourist attractions Piazza dei Signori
Dante Alighieri Monument
In the middle of the square stands the three meter tall Monument to Dante. It was created in 1865, 600 years after the birth of the poet, from the famous white marble from Carrara. Dante had found asylum at the court of Cangrande in Verona after being expelled from Florence. Dante stands with his back to the Via delle Fogge and with his head turned a little to the Palazzo di Cansignorio.
Arco della Costa
The Arco della Costa is the name of the arch that connects the Piazza dei Signori with Piazza delle Erbe. It stands between the Palazzo del Comune and the Domus Nova.
Domus Nova
The Domus Nova was built in the 12th century and was the seat of the Podestà and of the Consigli Minori, before the Venetian judges moved in in the 15th century. It partially collapsed in 1511 and was rebuilt only a century later.
Palazzo di Cangrande of Palazzo del Podestà
The Palazzo di Cangrande (or Palazzo degli Scaligeri, or Palazzo del Podestà) was named after the rulers of the city between 1260 and 1387. Nowadays both the prefecture and the province have their seat in the palace.
Santa Maria Antica and Arche Scaligere
The Santa Maria Antica Chapel was the private church of the Della Scala dynasty. In the courtyard of this Romanesque chapel one can see the Arche Scaligere, a Gothic cemetery where the most important members of the family are buried.
Palazzo di Cansignorio
The Palazzo di Cansignorio was originally a tower house and is separated from the Palazzo della Ragione (or Palazzo del Comune) by excavations dating back to Roman times.
Torre dei Lamberti
From the courtyard of Palazzo della Ragione you can climb the Torre dei Lamberti, one of the tallest towers in the city.
Loggia di Fran Giocondo or Loggia del Consiglio
The Loggia di Fra Giocondo (also known as the Loggia del Consiglio) is a highlight of Veronese Renaissance architecture and is connected to the Casa della Pietà by an archway across Via delle Fogge.
Arch of the Via delle Fogge
The statue on the Arch of Via delle Fogge is that of a doctor called Girolamo Fracastoro. According to legend, he would drop a large heavy sphere on the head of the first honest person passing below the arch.
Casa della Pietà
The Casa della Pietà is a fairly anonymous building, especially in the context of Piazza dei Signori. It dates back to the 13th century, but was completely rebuilt towards the end of the 15th century. The bas-relief on the facade dates back to the time of Venetian rule and shows a lady with a flag in her hands, symbolizing a Verona that can sleep peacefully because it stands under the protection of Venice. On the first floor is one of the oldest coffee houses in Verona.
