Herb Square

Piazza delle Erbe is the oldest and most fascinating square in Verona, a place where two thousand years of history intertwine with everyday city life. Built on the foundations of the ancient Roman forum, this rectangular square has always been the commercial and social centre of the city.

Today Piazza delle Erbe maintains its vocation as a marketplace with stalls selling fruit, vegetables, souvenirs and local products, surrounded by historic frescoed palaces, elegant cafés and monuments that tell of centuries of Veronese history. The lively, colourful atmosphere, combined with the architectural beauty of the buildings surrounding it, makes this square a must-see stop for anyone visiting Verona.

The Roman forum and ancient origins

In Roman times, Piazza delle Erbe was the forum, the political, religious and economic heart of the city of Verona. The main public buildings were located here: the Capitolium (a temple dedicated to the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva), the basilica where justice was administered, and the market where daily commerce took place.

The dimensions of the current square correspond almost exactly to those of the Roman forum, bearing witness to the urban continuity of the site through the millennia. During the archaeological excavations, remains of Roman pavements, columns and architectural fragments were found that confirm the importance of this place in antiquity.

The square maintained its function as a commercial centre even after the fall of the Roman Empire, evolving over the medieval centuries.

In the Middle Ages, Piazza delle Erbe became the main market of the Scaliger city. The name derives precisely from the market of vegetables and herbs that took place here daily. During the rule of the Della Scala family (13th-14th century), the square was embellished with important buildings and monuments that still characterise it today.

The Palazzo del Comune (now called Palazzo della Ragione) was erected with its imposing Lamberti Tower, and the Mazzanti Houses were built with their splendid Renaissance frescoes depicting mythological scenes and allegories.

During the Renaissance, under Venetian rule, the square was further enriched: many palaces were decorated with external frescoes, a typical feature of Veronese architecture of that period. The wealthy merchants who lived around the square competed to have the most beautiful and decorated facades.

At the centre of the square is the Madonna Verona fountain, erected in 1368 and so named for the Roman statue that crowns it, dated to 380 AD and probably from the Roman baths. The statue holds a scroll with the inscription that recites the love for Verona.

Next to the fountain stands the Market Column or Berlina, erected in 1401, where insolvent debtors and criminals were exposed to public mockery. On the other side of the square is the Capitello, a 14th-century Gothic canopy under which the city's rulers were installed during public ceremonies and justice was administered.

On the north side of the square stands Palazzo Maffei, a splendid example of 17th-century Baroque architecture, surmounted by a balustrade with statues of Greek deities.

In front of the palace is the Column of Saint Mark with the winged lion, symbol of Venetian rule erected in 1523. All these monuments create a unique architectural ensemble that bears witness to the different historical eras crossed by Verona.