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Piazza Brà is the largest square in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Verona, Italy. It’s surrounded by historic buildings and is a great place to take a stroll.
Introduction to Piazza Brà
Piazza Brà is accessed by Corso Porta Nuova from the south, Via Mazzini from the north, Via Roma from the west, and Via Pallone from the east. The name of the square is a corruption of braida, which comes from the Lombardic word breit, meaning “wide” or “broad”.
During the Roman period, the area that now makes up Piazza Brà was outside the city walls. It became a market for timber, hay, straw, and livestock in the 12th century and was known as Foro Boario. During the Venetian period it was called Piazza d’Armi and was used for reviews of Venetian troops. It also hosted annual fairs. The square as seen today started taking shape in the early 17th century.
Garden in Piazza Brà
In the center of Piazza Brà is a garden, which was landscaped in 1873. It’s a beautiful space with tall trees and a monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy. It was sculpted by Ambrogio Borghi (1848-1887) and unveiled on January 9, 1883. In the center of the garden is the Fountain of the Alps (Fontana delle Alpi), which was built in the 1970s.
Portoni della Brà
Starting with the southwest corner of the plaza, are the Portoni della Brà. These gates were constructed by the Venetians in the late 15th or early 16th century as part of a redesign of the medieval city walls. They replaced the Porta della Braida, which was first mentioned in 1257 and stood until about 1483. That gate marked the boundary between the city and the countryside.
The Portoni della Brà consist of two large arches made of marble with red bricks on the top. The Pentagona Tower (Torre Pentagona) stands on the side. The clock was inaugurated on June 2, 1872.
Teatro Filarmonico
Next to the gates on the southwest corner of Piazza Brà is Teatro Filarmonico (Philharmonic Theatre). It’s owned by the Philharmonic Academy of Verona (Accademia Filarmonica di Verona), which was founded in 1543, and is one of the most important opera houses in Europe. It was designed by Francesco Galli da Bibiena (1659-1739). Work on the building began in 1716 and it opened on January 6, 1732. It burned down on January 21, 1749, and was rebuilt, opening in 1754.
Teatro Filarmonico was destroyed during an Allied bombing on February 23, 1945. The Philharmonic Academy announced plans to rebuild an exact replica, and it finally reopened in 1975. The theatre consists of three levels of boxes, a balcony, and two galleries. It has a capacity of 1,200. It continues to host operas, ballets, and concerts.
The Maffeiana Room (Sala Maffeiana), which is named for writer Francesco Scipione Maffei (1675-1755), is the only original section of the building. It survived both the fire and bombing. A 13-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed in the room on January 5, 1770. The foyer, which connects to both the Maffeiana Room and the theatre, is known as the Hall of Mirrors.
The Liston at Piazza Brà
Along the west side of Piazza Brà is the Liston, which is a common feature in Venetian cities. This wide walkway, which links Corso Porta Nuova to Via Mazzini, was created in 1770 under Alvise Mocenigo. The paving was completed in 1783 under Francesco Menegatti, making it a popular place for an afternoon stroll.
In 1808, architect Luigi Trezza redeveloped the Liston. After oil lamps were introduced in the 19th century, followed by gas lighting in 1845, it opened for evening strolls as well. It’s now used for outdoor seating by the many cafés and restaurants, and is enjoyed by both tourists and locals. Also, the you’ll find several historical plaques attached to the buildings along the Liston.
Verona Arena
The most prominent building on Piazza Brà is Verona Arena (Arena di Verona). It’s one of the ancient world’s best preserved Roman amphitheaters and is still in use today. Admission to the arena is €12 for adults, €9 for seniors over 65, €3 for visitors aged 18-25, and free kids under 18 or holders of the Verona Card (as of May 2025).
The elliptical arena measures 152.43 x 123.23 meters, with the floor at 75.68 x 44.43 meters. The cavea spans 39.4 meters (125 feet). It’s the eighth largest out of all surviving Roman amphitheaters and fourth largest in Italy. Only one section of the three-tiered outer ring survives today.
The arena is a great place to imagine how Verona would have been during the Roman period. We also feel it would be a unique place to attend a concert. The arena once held over 30,000 spectators but today can hold about 22,000 people for concerts and operas. Several notable musicians have performed there.
History of Verona Arena
Verona Arena was built around 30 AD. It featured gladiatorial games and performances and was famous all over the ancient world.
The arena was abandoned sometime after the rise of Christianity but came into use again during the Middle Ages. At that time, the height was reduced 12 meters to protect the city from sieges and the seating area was often quarried for marble. It hosted public spectacles such as battles as well as social events. In 1276, a statute decreed prostitutes were required to live in the arena, and in 1278, roughly 200 Cathar heretics were burned at the stake by Alberto I della Scala (d. 1301). Verona arena was closed in 1310 but the arcades continued to be inhabited by prostitutes.
In the late 16th century, Verona Arena reopened for events. Among the most popular were jousts. The first recorded joust took place on February 26, 1590, and the last one was held on November 20, 1716. Other events included equestrian events, theatrical and dance performances, and bull hunts, which remained popular into the 19th century. In January 1751, a rhinoceros was displayed to the crowd, leaving locals stunned that such a creature could exist.
The 19th century saw the introduction of cycling races, hot air balloon displays, acrobatic performances, comedy shows, and tombola games. The first opera season was held in 1856, while on November 16, 1866, the annexation of the Veneto to the Kingdom of Italy was celebrated with King Vittorio Emanuele II in attendance.
In 1913, Verona Arena became the world’s largest open-air opera venue. It has hosted music festivals, concerts, volleyball matches, and several times as the finish line of the Giro d’Italia. It will also host the closing ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Preservation of Verona Arena
Preservation efforts began as early as the 16th century. The prostitutes were expelled in 1537 and the arcades were leased to merchants and artisans. The first restoration began on May 24, 1568, and, after a brief pause due to plague in 1575, was completed by 1586.
Further restorations took place between 1651 and 1682 and again in 1694 and 1699. The first excavations took place in 1710 under Ottavio Alecchi. From September 1728 to July 1729, a 1.2-meter layer of earth covering the arena floor was removed.
After a visit by Napoleon on June 15, 1805, funds were allocated for further restoration. This included replacement of missing steps, repairing vaults, refurbishing stairs, and sealing cracks in the seating. In 1820, tenants were evicted from the arcade and houses deemed too close were demolished. The area around the base was also excavated, exposing the foundation buried two meters deep. Officials lowered the level of Piazza Brà about 70 centimeters to compensate.
Work after World War II involved the reinforcement of pillars between 1953 and 1956, clearing the arcades and warehouses between 1954 and 1960, replacing wooden gates with iron in 1955, and restoring the ramps and floors between 1957 and 1959.
Palazzo Barbieri
Verona’s city hall, Palazzo Barbieri, occupies the southeast corner of the square. The Neoclassical building was designed by architect Giuseppe Barbieri (1777-1838) and constructed between 1836 and 1848. It was built on the site of a hospital that was founded in 1478 in response to an outbreak of the plague.
Palazzo Barbieri was originally called the Palazzo della Gran Guardia Nuova and housed staff of the Austrian army during their occupation of the city. It became the seat of the municipality in 1874. The building was heavily damaged by Allied air raids on February 23, 1945, and restored between 1947 and 1950.
Palazzo della Gran Guardia
Finally, next to the Portoni della Brà is the Palazzo della Gran Guardia. Work started in 1610 under the Venetians but stopped in 1614 due to lack of funds. Construction didn’t resume until 1819, and the façade was completed by mid-1820. The entire building was finally completed in 1853. The Palazzo della Gran Guardia features a portico with 13 arches and 15 windows above. The original purpose was a covered space to review troops in bad weather. It’s used as a conference center today.
Christmas in Piazza Brà
Piazza Brà is a magical place during Christmas. During our visit there was an outdoor ice skating rink located in the between the Liston and Verona Arena as well as a nativity scene with live animals. The square was full of people out on Christmas Day enjoying the holiday. It’s also nice to see the square lit up at night.
Comet Star
The Comet Star is a major feature that has been erected every Christmas since 1984. It was designed by Rinaldo Olivieri (1931-1998) on an idea by Alfredo Troisi and symbolizes the star that led the three wisemen to the birthplace of Jesus.
The sculpture is a single welded steel beam weighing 80 tons. It’s 82 meters long and reaches a height of 70 meters. It stretches from inside the Verona Arena and culminates in a star in the square. In January 2023, the Verona Arena and the Comet Star itself was damaged during its dismantling. It did not feature for Christmas 2023.
International Nativity Scene Exhibition
During the Christmas season, Verona Arena hosts the International Nativity Scene Exhibition (Rassegna Internazionale dei Presepi). It was inaugurated by Alfredo Troisi in 1984 and features nativity scenes from around the world. Admission is €12 or free for kids under 6 (as of May 2025). It typically runs from late November through late January.
