Piazza delle Erbe means Green Market. It is a small square in the historical center of Verona. In ancient times, the ancient Roman Forum was located руку. And now there is a very cozy square surrounded by buildings from different eras.
In Roman times, the main streets of the city – Cardo Massimo and Decumanus Massimo - intersected here. At that time, the Forum Square was surrounded by a Capitol, a Basilica, and temples dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. The entire square was surrounded by porticos where workshops were located.
Since the 14th century, this place has become a market where vegetables and fruits were sold, so the area was named - Green Square. Nowadays, Piazza delle Erbe is only 75 x 150 meters. In 1368, the Madonna Verona fountain was installed in the center of the square. It was built by order of the del Scala family, who ruled Verona in those years. They built the Castelvecchio.
Now the square is surrounded by monumental buildings and palaces of different eras. The Domus Mercatorum (Merchant House), built in 1301, is located on the site of a former Basilica. Until recently, it housed the Chamber of Commerce, and now the People`s Bank of Verona.
At the end of the Piazza delle Erbe is a wonderful building of the Palazzo Maffei. The Palace was built in the 17th century in the Baroque style by the Maffei family. A column with a Venetian lion was installed near the Palace during the Venetian rule. It is very similar to what can be seen in Piazza San Marco in Venice.
The Mazzanti house was built in the 12th century and was used to house shops and warehouses. In 1530, its upper floor was decorated with mythological frescoes by Alberto Cavalli (a pupil of Giulio Romano).
