Overview
The “madmen of the hour” square
A symbolic place of the Renaissance and Venetian rule over Brescia, Piazza della Loggia is a must-see in the city. It is home to several historical buildings such as Palazzo della Loggia, now the city seat. The building, with large arcades and three wide arches, has a façade in Botticino marble, interspersed with columns and pilasters with rich sculptural decorations. Inside, we recommend you see the Council Chamber, the Sala Giunta and the Salone Vanvitelliano, accessed via a splendid staircase. Admission is free.
On the southern side is the Torretta dell'Orologio (Clock Tower) where the old astronomical clock from the end of the 15th century stands out, surmounted by the famous “matti delle ore”: two mechanised copper automatons that beat the hours on the bronze bell with a hammer. At the foot of the Torretta dell'Orologio a stele commemorates the victims of the Piazza della Loggia bombing of 28 May 1974.
On the opposite side is the monument to Bella Italia, a work by Giovanni Battista Lombardi from 1864, donated to the city by Victor Emmanuel II in memory of the fallen soldiers of the Ten Days of Brescia. The perimeter is completed by the Palazzo Monte di Pietà vecchio, two identical bodies with a gallery in the centre, rich in inscriptions and archaeological finds, leading to Piazza della Vittoria.
Piazza della Loggia, Brescia BS, Italia
