Piazza della Mercanzia, Medieval square in central Bologna, Italy

Piazza della Mercanzia is an irregularly shaped square in central Bologna featuring Gothic buildings and a prominent palazzo with marble and columned details on its facade. The space is framed by arcades and connects to narrow streets radiating outward in multiple directions.

The square appears in 1296/7 under the name Carrobbio, before the Palazzo della Mercanzia gave it its later identity. A name close to today's, Piazzola d'la Mercanzia, is first documented in 1635. The dialect-free form Piazza della Mercanzia was fixed by the street-name reform of 1873-8.

The name comes from the Palazzo della Mercanzia that dominates the square, seat of the merchants' guild. The square was already called Carrobbio in 1296/7; the dialect form Piazzola d'la Mercanzia is documented from 1635, and the current Italian name dates from the toponymic reform of 1873-8.

The square sits within walking distance of the Two Towers and is easily reached from several narrow streets nearby. There are plenty of places to sit and it makes a good starting point for walks through the historic city.

The square was called Carrobbio in 1296/7, and a dialect name close to today's, Piazzola d'la Mercanzia, is first documented in 1635, taken from the Palazzo della Mercanzia that dominates the south side. The present form was fixed by the street-name reform of 1873-8.