Piazza del Popolo

Welcome to the Piazza del Popolo, the undisputed social and political center of Ravenna. This square is more than just an open space; it is the city's 'living room,' where for over five hundred years, residents have gathered to…

Standing prominently at the southern end of the square are two massive granite columns, perhaps the most recognizable symbols of the Piazza del Popolo. These columns were erected by the Venetians in 1483 to celebrate their…

The Palazzo Comunale, which now houses the offices of the Mayor and the city council, is the architectural anchor of the Piazza del Popolo. Much of what you see today is the result of a major reconstruction in the late 17th…

As we wander around the edges of the square, I want to draw your attention to a detail that many visitors miss: the mosaic signage. If you look at the shop entrances, the street names, and even some of the house numbers…

Look up toward the building known as the Palazzo della Torre, where a prominent clock face oversees the square. In the medieval and Renaissance periods, the sounding of the city clock was the heartbeat of the community. …

Leading away from the Piazza del Popolo to the northeast is Via Diaz, one of the primary commercial arteries of the city. Walking down this street, you move from the grand scale of the main square into a more intimate urban…

Before we leave the immediate vicinity of the Piazza del Popolo, I want to invite you to peek into some of the open doorways that lead away from the square. Ravenna is a city of secrets, and its most beautiful features are often…

Our exploration of the Piazza del Popolo concludes here, in the very spot where the city's pulse beats most strongly. We have seen how this square serves as a visual record of Ravenna’s post-Byzantine history—from the grand…