Loggia del Consiglio

Loggia del Consiglio, also known as Loggia of Fra’ Giocondo, is a Renaissance style palazzo located in Piazza dei Signori, in Verona, adjacent to Palazzo del Podesta. The palace is currently used as the seat of the City Council.

SHORT HISTORY

Although the construction of the loggia was planned by the Municipality of Verona at the beginning of the 15th century, to be used for the meetings of the local council, the work on the building began only in 1476.

The design and construction of the loggia lasted a long time. The works practically finished in 1492, but most of the decorations were added later.

Today, the palace is also known as the Loggia di Fra’ Giocondo, but only for an error appeared in the 19th century. Fra Giocondo was an architect and a Veronese monk, also very active in cities like Rome and Paris, to whom the work was erroneously attributed.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Loggia del Consiglio has marble columns built with marble from all over the world, even with green marble from China, thanks to the Silk Road trade. The facade had two bronze high-reliefs depicting the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin of the Annunciation, which were removed in the 19th century.

On the crown of the loggia, there are the 15th-century statues of five Latin characters related to Verona: Catullus, Pliny the Elder, Emilio Macro, Vitruvius and Cornelio Nepote. The statues are the work of Alberto da Milano.

The halls of the Loggia were painted by Bernardino India and Orlando Flacco. Inside the palace, you can admire the Blessed Virgin with Child, between the patron saints Zeno and Pietro Martire, who receives the homage of Verona.

HOW TO GET THERE

Loggia del Consiglio is located about 2.2 kilometers from the Verona Porta Nuova railway station. The closest bus stop is in Piazza Viviani 10, about 150 meters away, on the bus Lines 70, 96 and 97. To find the loggia on foot, use the map below.