Piazza della Loggia, Renaissance square in Brescia, Italy
Piazza della Loggia is a rectangular square in central Brescia, flanked on its western side by the Palazzo della Loggia and its Renaissance arcades. On the eastern end, a clock tower closes off the space and gives the square a clear, enclosed shape.
Work on the square started in 1492 with the foundation of the Palazzo della Loggia, with architects including Palladio and Jacopo Sansovino contributing over time. The full complex took several decades to complete, making it one of the most ambitious Renaissance projects in northern Italy.
The square is home to three talking statues that Brescians have used for centuries to voice opinions about public life. The most known, called Lodoiga, stands near the arcades and has been used as a place to leave anonymous messages or satirical notes.
The square is part of the pedestrian zone in central Brescia and is easy to reach on foot from most parts of the old town. Early morning and late afternoon are the quietest times to walk through and take in the architecture.
The southern wall of the square has ancient Roman gravestones built directly into it, forming what is considered Italy's first lapidary museum. These stones were deliberately placed in the facade of the Monti di Pietà buildings and are still visible today.
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