The name of this main historical square of Verona expresses its importance in the life of the city and its inhabitants. Each of the buildings of the city government encircling the square could be a symbol of Verona. Almost all of these key attractions of the Piazza dei Signori were built during the reign of the Italian Scaliger dynasty.
The oldest monument is the Palace of Justice of the 12th century. Despite the fire of the 13th century that affected the building, it was still operating as a court even during the rule of the Venetian Republic. The architectural ensemble of the palace includes the tallest building in the city, the famous Lamberti Tower of the 12th century, with a height of 83 meters. Today, it has the best observation point of Verona on its roof.
The medieval Podesta Palace was built at the end of the 13th century. In the early 14th century, it became the official residence of Can Grande I della Scala, the most powerful representative of the Scaliger dynasty and the ruler of the city of Verona. The Podesta Palace was the place, where Dante Alighieri lived for many years after his exile from Florence.
Cansignorio is also a palace located at the Piazza dei Signori. It was also built by the Scaliger dynasty later in the 14th century as a defensive fortress with towers and an inner courtyard. It served as the residence of the captains ruling the city during the period of the Venetian Republic and its name translated as the Palace of Captains. Another name of this fortress is the Tribunal Palace due to a magnificent monument of medieval architecture that was built during the reign of Austria and housed a court.
Finally, the Loggia of the Council of Piazza dei Signori is a masterpiece of the Venetian style of architecture. It has a delightful arcade and spacious windows decorated with sculptures of outstanding natives of the city, including a poet Catullus, a writer Pliny the Elder, a historian Cornelius Nepos and a doctor Girolamo Fracastoro.