Loggia dei Mercanti

Why it matters

The Loggia dei Mercanti was built for the commercial life of Ancona. Begun in 1443 by the commune, it served merchants and shipowners in a port city whose economy was closely tied to maritime trade. Two inscriptions on its facade record its construction at the expense of the community.

What to notice

The building's street facade has three pointed arches and a richly carved upper storey. Niches contain figures representing Hope, Fortitude, Justice and Charity, while the central relief shows an armoured knight associated with Ancona. The Dalmatian marble facade reflects the city's Adriatic connections. The seaward elevation, rebuilt by Pellegrino Tibaldi after the fire of 1556, has a terrace overlooking the port.

Context and history

The work begun in 1443 is associated with architect Giovanni Pace, known as il Sodo; the facade toward Via della Loggia was executed by Giorgio Orsini da Sebenico between 1454 and 1459. After the 1556 fire, Tibaldi rebuilt the interior and seaward front. Restoration followed damage from the Second World War bombing of 1943. The reconstructed building reopened in 1952. Its history links medieval commerce, Renaissance architecture and the later civic reconstruction of Ancona.