Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Piazza Grande

The Palazzo Comunale is (since medieval times) the city hall of Modena. The large building complex faces, just like the neighbouring Modena Cathedral the Piazza Grande, since 1997 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Santa Maria della Pieve was erected over the remains of an earlier church from the early 12th century on. It was was the stronghold of the city's struggle against its feudal bishops, who were building the nearby Cathedral and a palace, that was rather a castle just outside the city walls. It took about two centuries to complete Santa Maria della Pieve, and so there is a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles. Most unusual is the the facade faces this small street, while the apse, seen here, borders to the Piazza Grande.

Strolling around at nightfall in Arezzo. The apse of Santa Maria della Pieve with blind arcades and open galleries. Seen from the Piazza Grande.

A settlement existed here already in Bronze age, pre-Roman times the Umbrian people had a town here, named Ikuvium. After the Roman conquest the town gained importance. The Roman theatre here is the second-largest surviving in the world. Gubbio became very powerful in the Middle Ages, when Gubbio sent 1000 knights to fight in the First Crusade. Later the city was engaged in wars against the surrounding towns of Umbria. In winter an ice rink is installed on the Piazza Grande, so the ambitious kids can try loop and flip jumps in front of the Palazzo dei Consoli. The palazzo was built between 1332 and 1338. The locals claim, that this is one of the most beautiful public halls in Italy.

The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. The fountain was the end of an aqueduct engineered by Benedictine monk Fra Bevignate. The water - since centuries - serves the thirsty pigeons, but the birds have to be skilful.

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history. Here are two of the seven liberal arts ("septem artes liberales"). To the left, holding a compass, is the GEOMETRIA. To the right, playing a carillon, is the MUSICA.

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. The fountain was the end of an aqueduct engineered by Benedictine monk Fra Bevignate.

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history. Seen here a scene depicting the treashing wheat (under a "leo" symbol / July-August and people harvesting fruit (under a "virgo" symbol / August-September).

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history. Seen here are farmers ploughing an acre and sawing (under a "sagittarius" symbol / November-December) and butchers slaughtering pigs (under a "capricorn" symbol / December-January).

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history. Seen here are hunting scenes in the center (under a "gemini" symbol / May-June) and people harvesting to the right (under a "cancer" symbol / June-July).

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. Many interesting details can be found around the fountain. Her are two musicians. One is playing a harp and the second one playing a portative, a small, portable organ. Today the fountain is secured by iron bars. In the past it was obviously possible to scratch in graffiti.

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century it passed under the popes, but within the 11th it century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. - The Fontana Maggiore is located on the "Piazza IV Novembre" (ex "Piazza Grande") between the cathedral (background) and the Palazzo dei Priori (my POV). It was created between 1277 and 1278 by the famous sculptors Nicola Pisano and his son Giovanni Pisano, known for their works in Pisa and Siena. Once the place was occupied by the bishop´s citadel. After the demolition of the citadel, the fountain got erected here as a symbol of the free city. The Fontana Maggiore is considered one of the finest still existing medieval fountains. On the twenty-five sides of the lower basin are sculptures representing prophets and saints, the labors of the months, the signs of the zodiac, scenes from Genesis, and events from Roman history.

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement on top of a mountain that became a Roman colonia around 250 BC. In 547 Totila´s Ostrogoth troops looted the city after a long siege. Legends tell, that Perugia´s bishop Herculanus, who negotiated with Totila in behalf of his folks, got beheaded by the Ostrogoths, making St. Herculanus (aka "Sant' Ercolano") to the city´s patron saint. In the 9th century, with the consent of the Carolingians, it passed under the popes. Within the 11th century gained independency. After a long conflict, in 1370 the city signed a treaty accepting a papal legate, but already 5 years later the vicar-general of the Papal States was expelled by a popular uprising. During the Italian Wars Perugia passed through many hands until Condottiero Braccio da Montone reached a concordance with the Papacy. It did not bring peace to the city, but led to the "Salt War" in 1540, that had started as a protest against paying new taxes on salt. The papal troops forced a surrender. Within a few years, more than hundred houses, as well as churches and monasteries were destroyed and used as building material to built an enormous fortress, the "Rocca Paolina". The fort was for centuries a symbol of oppressive papal rule. - The "Piazza IV Novembre" (once "Piazza Grande") was the Forum in Roman times. In the center the "Fontana Maggiore", the large building behind is the "Palazzo dei Priori".