Piazza IV Novembre

Piazza IV Novembre is Perugia's historic civic and religious centre, framed by the Fontana Maggiore, the cathedral of San Lorenzo and the Palazzo dei Priori.

Why it matters

The square brings together monuments of medieval communal government and religious authority on ground that also served as the ceremonial centre of Etruscan and Roman Perugia. Its present name commemorates 4 November 1918, the date of the armistice that ended the First World War for Italy.

What to notice

The Fontana Maggiore, completed in 1278, has two polygonal basins decorated with reliefs by Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. Its imagery includes the months, liberal arts, biblical scenes and fables. The unfinished flank of the cathedral faces the civic palace across the square, making the relationship between religious and civic institutions part of the piazza's form.

Context and history

The square developed as a meeting place for the medieval commune's civic and religious authorities, over the forum of the earlier Etruscan and Roman city. The cathedral was built above the ancient sacred ground. The fountain's completion in 1278 celebrated the aqueduct that brought water to the hilltop and became a symbol of communal identity. The piazza took its current name after the First World War.