Loggia degli Osii, Gothic loggia in Piazza Mercanti, Milan, Italy
The Loggia degli Osii is a Gothic loggia in Piazza Mercanti, Milan, featuring a three-story facade decorated with white and black marble in contrasting patterns. The ground floor opens as a colonnaded portico with octagonal columns, while upper levels display triple mullioned windows that follow the Gothic style.
The loggia was commissioned between 1316 and 1321 by Matteo I Visconti to house judicial and notary functions adjacent to the Palazzo della Ragione. It emerged during the period when Matteo consolidated power and expanded Milan's influence across northern Italy.
The marble balcony called the parlera features an eagle sculpture from which judges announced sentences and laws to crowds. This elevated platform made the delivery of justice visible and dramatic for the people gathered below.
The ground floor portico connects directly to Piazza Mercanti and provides shelter for pedestrians moving through the square. The structure sits centrally in the medieval plaza, easy to locate among other historic buildings.
The structure incorporates Genoese architectural elements resulting from Matteo Visconti's marriage to Valentina Doria from Genoa. This blend of Lombard and Ligurian design details distinguishes the building within Milan's medieval ensemble.
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