Piazza Erbe

Above the white tops of the umbrellas can be seen the column with the Lion of St. Mark on top; the fountain of Madonna Verona, constructed under Cansignorio in 1368; the so-called "Berlina ", a small marble loggia dating from the 16th century; and finally a Gothic tabernacle with elegant cuspidate decoration. Overafl vievv of Piazza Erbe with its lively colourful stalis sheltered by the great off-white umbrellas and the Gardello tower at the end of the square.

On the same side is another tower, the Lamberti Tower, begun in 1172 and 272 feet high. Above the white tops of the umbrellas can be seen the column with the Lion of St. Mark on top; the fountain of Madonna Verona", constructed under Cansignorio in 1368; the so-called "Berlina ", a small marble loggia dating from the 16th century; and finally a Gothic tabernacle with elegant cuspidate decoration.

At the end of the square is the imposing Palazzo Maffei, rightly considered Verona's Baroque masterpiece; built in 1688, it is crowned by a loggia with six statues representing Hercules, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Apollo and Minerva. Beside this huilding is the Gardello Tower, begun under Cansignorio della Scala in 1370 and completed in 1626 with the addition of its bell-shaped covering. On the right-hand side is Casa Mazzanti, in which are 16th-century frescoes of mythological subjects, painted by the artist Alberto Cavalli.

The square is irregular in form and around it are buildings in different styles and colours. On the left-hand side is the Romanesque building of the "Domus mercatorum", built by Alberto I della Scala in 1301.

Piazza Erbe (the "Square of the Herbs", so called because at one time only green vegetables were sold here), is one of the most picturesque city squares in the whole of Italy, and certainly the most famous in Verona. Sheltered by their white umbrellas, the stalls in the square display the most varied types of merchandise, including fruit and clothing.