This square, welcoming all who arrive from the lagoon, was the center of social, religious, and political life in the Duchy of Mantua.

Here you find the religious center, the Duomo, the seat of government, the Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale), and the Palazzo Buonacolsi from the 13th century, where the city’s rulers sat before the Gonzaga family.

In the passage to the next square, you can see the tower called Torre della Gabbia.

The square also contains a covered complex housing Roman remains collected from the Mantua area.