This elegant tree-lined piazza dates back to 1788. In that year the convent of St. Mary Magdalene was torn down, and the space was used to build a piazza suited to the architectural and urban dictates of the time. Indeed, the space is reminiscent of the geometric 18th century Paris plazas.
Piazza Fontanesi
Portico in Piazza Fontanesi
Numerous antique shops look out over the vast, harmonic space. In the summer, antique lovers meet there on a weekly basis.
Antiques market
The oldest of the homes, located on the western side of the piazza, were recently restored, returning them to their lovely original pastel color. The home of painter Gaetano Chierici, with its elegant loggia, can be found at number eight.
The square after last restructuring
In ancient times, the Secchia Canal ran through the piazza. The waters of the canal were used to work silk, tan leather, and make tallow candles. The course of the canal, now shown by blue tiles on the ground, ran along what is now via Guazzatoio. At the end of via Guazzatoio rises the “bastion”, the only remaining piece of the city walls, dating back to the 1200s. The “bastion” (more precisely called “porta Castello”) still shows visible traces of the great lancet arch which marked the gates to the city.
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