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Piazza delle Erbe is the market square in Mantua, Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage city. It contains a couple of important medieval buildings.
History
The square started to take shape in the 11th century when it was designated a cattle market next to what is now the Basilica of Sant’Andrea. It started to take its current shape in 1227 after the Palazzo del Podestà was built, splitting the square into two separate squares – Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza Broletto. When the Palazzo della Ragione was built in 1250, the square turned into the administrative center of the city.
After the Bonacolsis and then the Gonzagas took over, the administrative center shifted to Piazza Sordello and Piazza delle Erbe once again turned into a market square.
Clock Tower
Attached to the Palazzo della Ragione is the Clock Tower (Torre dell’Orologio), an astronomical clock tower built in 1472. Inside is the Museum of Time (Museo del Tempo), which costs €3 to enter (as of March 2024) and free for holders of the Mantova Card. The museum features old hands and gears that were once used in the clock as well as a platform offering views of Mantua. It’s open daily except Mondays. We decided not to visit.
Rotunda of San Lorenzo
Right next to the Clock Tower is the Rotunda of San Lorenzo (Rotonda di San Lorenzo), which is the oldest church in the city. It sits at a level below the rest of Piazza delle Erbe.
The brick structure was probably built in 1081 by Matilde di Canossa and was inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It was deconsecrated in 1579 and used as a warehouse and later a private building. The rotunda became a church once again in 1926.
Inside, it’s very simple with brick arches and columns (except for two made of marble). There are a few fading Byzantine-style frescoes dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries.
Merchant House
Finally, on the south side of the square is the Merchant House (Casa del Mercante). It was commissioned in 1455 by a rich fabric merchant, Giovanni Boniforte da Concorezzo. He was a supplier to the Gonzaga family and also married to one. The ground floor is supported by columns and the decorations are in a Venetian style.
