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Piazza dei Signori is a small square in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Verona, Italy. It sits just east of Piazza delle Erbe.
Introduction to Piazza dei Signori
Piazza dei Signori developed in the Middle Ages as the della Scala palazzos were built. It eventually became the city’s political and administrative center. It’s surrounded by historic municipal buildings and is entered via arched passageways.
When we visited, it was hard to get a good look at the buildings because of the Christmas market taking place. The entire square was packed with booths selling food and crafts and you couldn’t move without bumping into someone. It was tough but we were able to at least get a look at all of the important buildings on the square. The market itself was a great experience.
Statue of Dante
In the center of Piazza dei Signori is a marble statue of Dante Alighieri (c. 1265-1321). It was inaugurated on May 14, 1865, to celebrate the 600th anniversary of his birth. During his exile from Florence, Dante was welcomed in Verona. The statue is three meters high and rests on a marble pedestal. It was made by Ugo Zannoni (1836-1919).
Palazzo Domus Nova
On the west side is Palazzo Domus Nova, also known as the Palazzo dei Giudici (Palace of Judges). It was built in the first half of the 13th century as the residence and offices of the podestà. In the 14th century, under the della Scala, it was converted to the residences and offices of the Council of Judges (Consiglio dei Giudici). The building was renovated in the first half of the 16th century. In 1554 the lower floors were sold to private buyers and the judges’ residences moved across the square to the Palazzo del Podestà. The building now houses a luxury B&B.
Casa della Pietà
Continuing clockwise is the Casa della Pietà (House of Mercy), which was undergoing restoration at the time of our visit. It was built in the early 15th century and was owned by Tommaso di Montalbano and Leone dei Confalonieri. The building was sold to Galasso Pio da Carpi and by 1490 was property of the Casa della Pietà. Today, it contains the oldest coffee house in Verona.
A stone aedicle on the façade contains a bas-relief of a seated woman holding a flag with the phrase “Fide et Charitate in aeternum non deficiam”. According to tradition, the woman represents a resting Verona depending on the protection of the Republic of Venice. It’s also believed to be a copy of a painting taken to Venice in 1675 by two ambassadors from Verona.
Loggia del Consiglio
The next building is the Loggia del Consiglio (Council Lodge), which was built between 1476 and 1493 as the meeting place for the city council. From the beginning of the 19th century until 1837, it was used as a civic art gallery. The building was restored between 1820 and 1838, 1870 and 1874, and again in the 20th century. It’s currently the headquarters of the Provincial Council.
Decorated with frescoes and marble columns, it’s considered one of the most beautiful Renaissance palaces in northern Italy. The building is crowned by statues of Vitrivius, Catallus, Pliny the Elder, Aemilius Macer, and Cornelius Nepos, and once featured two bronze reliefs made by sculptor Girolamo Campagna (1549-1625) in 1606. In the 18th century, the design was mistakenly attributed to Giovanni Giocondo (c. 1433-1515), hence the reason the building is also known as the Loggia di Fra ‘Giocondo.
Palazzo del Podestà
The building on the east side of the square is the Palazzo del Podestà, also known as the Palazzo del Governo (Government Palace) and Palazzo di Cangrande. It was originally built in the first decade of the 14th century by Cangrande I della Scala atop Roman ruins. By 1311, Cangrande and his court had made it their residence, and it also hosted Dante after his exile from Florence. The building was extended in the 1360s by Cansignorio della Scala (1340-1375).
After the Venetians took Verona in 1404, they converted the building to the seat of the podestà, opening a new entrance and placing the Lion of St. Mark above. They also expanded the building in 1492. The portal on Piazza dei Signori, modeled after the Arch of Gavi (Arco dei Gavi), was designed in 1533 by architect Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559). A final extension was completed in 1560.
The building was looted by Napoleon’s troops in 1797 and the façade was transformed in the early 19th century. The current medieval appearance comes from a restoration carried out by Antonio Avena (1882-1967) between 1927 and 1930. Today, the building is owned by the Province of Verona and is the seat of the Prefecture.
Palazzo del Capitanio
Next, on the southeast side is Palazzo del Capitano, also known as the Palazzo del Cansignorio. The building was probably completed in 1363 by Cansignorio della Scala, who organized it as a fortified complex around a central courtyard. It was the center of della Scala power. The 13th century tower, built by either Alberto I (d. 1301) or Mastino I della Scala (d. 1277), is the oldest part of the building.
In 1405, the building became the residence of the Venetian captain and received the name Palazzo del Capitanio. It was modified several times, including a loggia built in 1476 attributed to Pietro da Porlezza, and a portal by Michele Sanmicheli built between 1531 and 1533. The façade on Piazza dei Signori was also updated to a Renaissance style.
In the late 19th century, the building was converted to judicial offices. Between 1981 and 1986, it underwent extensive archaeological excavations that brought to light a Roman road and Roman structures dating between the 1st and 5th centuries as well as 8th century burials. The Scavi Scaligeri International Photography Center (Centro Internazionale di Fotografia Scavi Scaligeri) was hosted in the underground space from 1996 to May 11, 2015. All activities of the center remain suspended until further notice (as of May 2025).
Palazzo della Ragione
Finally, on the southwest side is the Palazzo della Ragione (Palace of Reason), which consists of a quadrangular building surrounding a central courtyard. It was completed in 1194 as the seat of the municipality and was one of the first public palazzos in Italy. Under the Venetians, the building also housed civil and criminal courts, a prison, the College of Notaries, tax offices, public health offices, and more. The rooms on the ground floor facing Piazza delle Erbe were privatized and used as homes and shops.
The Chapel of the Notaries was built between 1408 and 1419, and the Stairs of Reason (Scala della Ragione) were added in 1447. This Gothic staircase led to the law courts. It was originally covered, but the cover was removed during restorations between 1894 and 1897. The municipal council moved across the piazza to the Loggia del Consiglio in 1492.
The Palazzo della Ragione was damaged by fire on January 22, 1541. Restoration begun immediately and lasted throughout the 16th century. Also, in 1576, the courtyard was converted to the Old Market Courtyard (Cortile del Mercato Vecchio). During our visit, the Christmas market from Piazza dei Signori flowed into the square.
In the 1810s, the Palazzo della Ragione underwent a major restoration, including the removal of the prisons on the upper floors. The façade on Piazza delle Erbe was redesigned in a Neoclassical style by architect Giuseppe Barbieri (1777-1838). Another restoration was carried out by architect Camillo Boito (1836-1914), lasting from the 1870s through 1897. The judicial offices moved out in the 1980s and another restoration took place in the early 2000s.
Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art
The Palazzo della Ragione opened to the public for the first time in 2007, and has hosted the Achille Forti Gallery of Modern Art (Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti) since the spring of 2014. Admission is €6 for adults, €4 for seniors age 65+, €2 for visitors aged 18-25, and free for kids under 18 and holders of a Verona Card (as of May 2025). It’s open daily except Mondays from 10am to 6pm.
Lamberti Tower
The Lamberti Tower (Torre dei Lamberti) is attached to the Palazzo della Ragione. It was built by the Lamberti family with construction starting in 1172, and the first two bells were added in 1295. The tower, which was 37 meters high at the time, was struck by lightning in May 1403 and badly damaged. Restoration started in 1448 and was completed in 1464, adding the belfry and raising the tower to its current height of 84 meters. The clock was added in 1779.
The Lamberti Tower has been open to the public since 1972. Visitors can choose to climb up the 368 steps or take the lift to a viewing platform at the top. Admission to the tower, which is open daily, is €6 for adults; €4.50 for seniors over 60, students age 14-30 with a valid student ID, and kids age 8-14; and free for kids under 8 (as of May 2025). If you have a Verona Card, admission is free for stairway access but you have the option pay €1 to ride the lift.
Once at the top, we were treated to some incredible views of Verona. It’s possible to spot several landmarks including the Duomo, the Basilica of St. Anastasia, Verona Arena, and the squares below.
Bells of the Lamberti Tower
At the top it’s possible to see the four historic bells. Each one has a different name. The Rengo, which is the largest, was used to call the Arrengo (city council) and the army during emergencies. It’s 184 centimeters in diameter and weighs 4,215 kilograms. It was originally cast in 1272 and replaced in 1557.
The Marangona, which signaled fires and work hours, was also cast in 1272 and replaced in 1833. It sounded during fires and at the beginning and end of the work day. It’s 130 centimeters in diameter and weighs 1,300 kilograms. Two smaller bells, the Bajona and Rabbiosa, were added in 1779. The Bajona is 108 centimeters in diameter and weighs 750 kilograms while the Rabbiosa is 82 centimeters in diameters and weighs 330 kilograms.
Scaliger Tombs
Next to Palazzo del Capitanio, just outside Piazza dei Signori, is a wall with iron grills enclosing the Scaliger Tombs (Arche Scaligere). They consist of a group of Gothic funerary monuments in which members of the della Scala (Scaliger) clan are entombed. They’re open Friday through Sunday from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm. Entrance is free for holders of a Verona Card or a same-day ticket to one of Verona’s civic museums (as of May 2025).
Tomb of Cangrande I
The tomb of Cangrande I (1291-1329) sits above the entrance to the Church of Santa Maria Antica (Chiesa di Santa Maria Antica), which dates back to 1185 and was used by the della Scala as their private chapel. The sarcophagus is decorated with reliefs of religious and military scenes and features an effigy of Cangrande on the lid. On top is a copy of an equestrian statue of the leader while the original is now on display at the Castelvecchio Museum.
Tomb of Mastino II
The tomb of Mastino II (1308-1351) was built starting in 1345 and was originally painted and gilded. It’s decorated with religious motifs while the lid contains his effigy guarded by two angels. The pediment of the baldachin contains religious themes and is topped by a copy of his equestrian statue.
Tomb of Cansignorio
The tomb of Cansignorio (1340-1375) was built in 1375 and is the final and most elegant of the tombs. It was designed by Bonino da Campione and features sculptures of warrior saints, Gospel figures, the Virtues, and the Apostles, as well as a large equestrian statue of Cansignorio.
Other Burials
Other burials include the elaborately decorated sarcophagus of Alberto I (1245-1301). The tomb of Giovanni (1325-1359), which is built into the wall of the church, was completed in 1359 by Andriolo de’ Santi. It was originally located in the church of San Fermo Maggiore and moved to the Scaliger Tombs in 1831. The tomb of Mastino I is the oldest at the complex, built in 1277. Finally, three other unmarked sarcophagi are traditionally believed to belong to Alberto II (1306-1352), Bartolomeo I (1270-1304), and Alboino I (d. 1311). A few interesting buildings also surround the tombs.
