The Piazza delle Erbe is a square in Viterbo. It is located where the Corso Italia turns into the Via Roma. Sights in the square include the Fountain of Lions and the Casa della Pace.
Piazza delle Erbe Viterbo
History and description
The fountain situated in the middle of Piazza delle Erbe was built in 1621 and took the place of an earlier, medieval version. The tub was made in 1625 by Antonio Pieruzzi. In the 18th century, the original lions decorating the fountain were replaced by marble versions donated to the city by the sculptor Pio Fedi. The fountain is decorated with a number of coats of arms. On the globe below the lion’s paws the letters FAVL can be read. These are the initials of the four castles out of which Viterbo is supposed to have developed.
The palace located on the right between Piazza delle Erbe and the beginning of Corso Italia is the Casa della Pace (“House of Peace”). It owes its name to a plaque that refers to an attempt to resolve disputes between different inhabitants of the city.