Piazza Trento e Trieste
Piazza Trento e Trieste is located next to the Cathedral of San Giorgio. Once called Piazza del Mercato delle Erbe, it was built in the 12th century and soon became the heart of medieval Ferrara.
The Archbishop's Palace and the Town Hall also stand next to the square, and this is no coincidence. Being a market area, the square had to remain under the control of the city power at all times.
What to see in Piazza Trento e Trieste
The most characteristic architectural feature of the square is the elegant
Loggia dei Merciai, supported by marble columns with variously decorated capitals.
This loggia was built in the 15th century with a twofold purpose. On the one hand to embellish the square during important weddings for the Este family. On the other hand, the construction of the loggia allowed for a more dignified arrangement of the stalls that crowded the market square, a purpose that is still maintained today.
Under the loggia there are now a few shops that have retained the ancient plinth of the cathedral and the inscriptions of the first statutes of the City of Ferrara, dating back to 1173. At the time, the city was seeking its autonomy from the various lordships that had dominated it. That is why it decided to promulgate these statutes and make them visible to all citizens by placing them on the side wall of the cathedral.
Other notable places on the square include Via Mazzini, one of the most important streets in Ferrara, because it gave access to the city's
former Jewish Ghetto until not long ago. Then the unfinished bell tower on the corner of the square designed by Leon Battista Alberti, and finally the former church of San Romano, inside which there is the
Cathedral Museum.
The ancient gateway to the cathedral
Another special feature of Piazza Trento e Trieste was the ancient
access portal that led from the square directly into the cathedral until the mid-18th century. This portal was called 'dei mesi' (of the months) because it was
adorned with panels depicting allegories of the various months of the year, and in particular the trades that took place in the countryside.
For example, the January tile depicts a two-faced character facing both the old and the new year. August, on the other hand, shows how to build new barrels and repair them, and finally, the September tile depicts a grape harvest scene.
Due to restoration works, the door was demolished; the remains of the imposing entrance can be seen today in the aforementioned Cathedral Museum.
