Piazza delle Erbe, Market square in Verona, Italy

Piazza delle Erbe is a square in Verona on the site of the Roman forum, where the cardo maximus met the decumanus maximus. Its oldest monument is the fountain built in 1368 by Cansignorio della Scala, topped by the Madonna Verona, a Roman sculpture of 380 AD. The square is lined by the Baroque Palazzo Maffei, the Torre dei Lamberti, the frescoed Case Mazzanti and the crenellated Domus Mercatorum.

The square developed from a Roman forum and has served as the center of social and economic life in the city since ancient times. Traces of this Roman foundation remain visible beneath the current buildings, showing how the place has continuously evolved.

The square has been the beating heart of Verona's commerce for centuries, where merchants and people gathered daily to buy, sell, and exchange goods. This tradition of trade and meeting continues to shape how the place looks and functions in the daily life of the city.

You can visit the square during the day to explore market stalls, eat at nearby restaurants, or climb the Lamberti Tower for views of the city. Wear comfortable shoes since the ground is paved and the tower involves climbing stairs.

The oldest monument on the square is the fountain built in 1368 by Cansignorio della Scala; its crowning statue, called Madonna Verona, is a Roman sculpture of 380 AD reused for the basin. Near Via Cappello stands a column with a 14th-century aedicula showing the Virgin with Saints Zeno, Peter and Christopher.