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It is in these buildings where the political and admini-
strative life of Verona took its course, especially under
the domination of the Scala family. The square is sur-
rounded by monuments connected to each other by
porticos and arcades, creating a sort of grand court-
yard. In the center, there is the monument of Dante,
which dates back to the year 1865. The statue is three
meters tall, and sculpted in white Carrara marble. It was
erected to celebrate the sixth centenary of the birth of
the poet, who, at the court of Cangrande, found his
first refuge after being exiled from Florence. Entering
the square from the Arco della Costa, and starting from
the right side, one discovers the Palazzo del Comune,
also known as the Palazzo della Ragione. It was built
at the end of the 12th century, and today it is used as
a museum. Among its towers, the most famous one
is the Torre dei Lamberti, which, being available to
the public, offers a 360° panoramic view over the city.
Passing through the arch of the building, one discovers
the well conserved and beautiful Cortile del Mercato
Vecchio, with the Scala della Ragione, which is a late
Gothic masterpiece, dating to the 15th century. Among
the other buildings, there is the Palazzo del Capitanio,
behind which there is an important Roman excavation,
there is also the International Center of Photography of
the Scavi Scaligeri, the Palazzo del Governo, the Loggia
del Consiglio, and finally the Domus Nova, also called
the Palazzo dei Giudici.
Gli antichi palazzi
circondano la piazza
come le quinte di
un’elegante scenografia.
The ancient buildings
surround the square like
elegant stage scenery