Piazza Cavalli

Piazza Cavalli takes its name from Francesco Mochi's two bronze equestrian monuments to the Farnese dukes. The statues stand within Piacenza's historic civic setting, framed by the Palazzo Gotico and later palaces.

Why it matters

The square developed as Piazza Grande alongside the communal palace in the thirteenth century. The Farnese monuments introduced a dynastic image into this older civic space, combining princely commemoration with the energy of early Baroque sculpture.

What to notice

The monument to Ranuccio Farnese, completed in 1620, presents the duke with a sceptre; its pedestal reliefs personify Peace and Good Government. Alessandro Farnese's monument of 1625 has a billowing mantle and reliefs recalling his campaigns in the Low Countries. The contrast between the figures gives the pair distinct characters. The Palazzo Gotico's marble and terracotta porticoes contrast with the Palazzo del Governatore of 1787.

Context and history

Communal government and commerce shaped the medieval square. It underwent enclosure under the Visconti and repaving under the Sforza in 1469, with further paving work in the late eighteenth century. The community's commission of Mochi's bronzes established the name by which the square became known.