Piazza Grande
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About
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Why go
- The Giostra del Saracino joust, held on the square twice a year, with knights and a procession of three hundred people.
- The Palazzo delle Logge on the north side, designed by Giorgio Vasari, with shops in its loggia.
- The Fonte pubblica, a marble neoclassical fountain on the west side, at the start of via Seteria.
- The Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici, whose three storeys show three architectural periods, one per floor.
- The Tribunal on the west side, with its baroque semicircular staircase.
Interesting facts5
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The square stands on the exact site of the Roman forum.
Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia -
Scenes from the film La vie est belle, by Roberto Benigni, were shot on the square.
Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia -
1968
An antiques fair has been held here regularly since 1968.
Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia -
The Petrone column served as the commune's noticeboard, showing official length units such as the braccio.
Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia -
The original 17th-century form of the public fountain survives only in a painting, kept in the Fraternita museum.
Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia
Shorts
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piazza Grande, Arezzo, TuscanyMy Italy
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Arezzo Piazza Grande at night / Arezzo Piazza Grande di notteOur Italian Adventures
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Dalla Piazza Grande all’anfiteatro romano: viaggio nel cuore di AREZZOMAR-TE mare e territorio
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Arezzo Piazza Grande - La vita è bellaGiorgio Gibertini
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Arezzo (Piazza Grande)Pievi e borghi
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Arezzo: la bellissima Piazza GrandeAli per Viaggiare
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The Medieval Piazza Grande in ArezzoStoneEchoes
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Piazza Grande Arezzo 20/11/22Gabriel Scortescu
History
Around 1200 it took the form of the town's central square, later known as Platea Communis. At its centre stood the Petrone, a stone column topped by a cross. It served as the commune's public noticeboard and later as a pillory for debtors. Giorgio Vasari then designed the loggias, finished in 1595, which gave the square a new role as the city's political centre.
- Early Middle AgesThe space is a livestock market called platea porcorum.
- Around 1200The square takes its form and becomes the town's central square.
- 1375Construction of the Palazzo della Fraternità dei Laici begins.
- 1384The town's lordship is bought from outside, largely halting political life.
- 1560Cosimo I de' Medici has the buildings north of the square demolished.
Show all
- 1573Giorgio Vasari designs the Palazzo delle Logge for Cosimo I de' Medici.
- 1595The loggias are completed, making the square the city's political centre.
- 1794The public fountain is replaced by a new marble structure by Lorenzo Gugliantini.
Tips for your visit
- On joust days the square changes completely and hosts the town's quarters, so it looks different from usual.
- The square is trapezoidal and sloped, so expect a slope underfoot; rainwater drains away from it.
Best time to visit
- Come on a joust day to see the Giostra del Saracino, which is held on the square twice a year.
Sources: Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia · Arezzo - Wikivoyage (see) · Piazza Grande (Arezzo) - Wikipedia · checked 26 Oct 2026
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Questions and answers
Where is Piazza Grande in Arezzo?
Piazza Grande is the central square of Arezzo. The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta fills its northwest side, and the Palazzo delle Logge stands on the north side.
Is Piazza Grande also called Piazza Vasari?
Yes, the square is also known as Piazza Vasari. It was formerly called Platea Communis.
Why is Piazza Grande sloped?
The square is trapezoidal and sloped so that rainwater drains away from it.
What is the Petrone on Piazza Grande?
The Petrone is a stone column that once stood at the centre of the square, topped by a cross. It served as the commune's public noticeboard.
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