Cathedral of St. Lawrence

Piazza IV Novembre: One of the Most Beautiful Italian Squares

Piazza IV Novembre is the true center of Perugia, and the city’s most important piazza. It is a must visit attraction.

Even if you only have a weekend or a couple of hours to visit Perugia, you can’t do much better than going to the Piazza, sitting on the cathedral steps and enjoying the view.

Dominated by the stunning Palazzo dei Priori, the Fontana Maggiore and the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, Piazza IV Novembre is considered to be among the most beautiful squares in Italy.

This historic square has been at the heart of civic life since the Roman era. To this day, all of the most important public and private events are held here, including Umbria Jazz concerts, the Eurochocolate fair, and the International Journalism Festival conferences.

Piazza IV Novembre: History

The Piazza IV Novembre has a commemorative name: the 4th of November was the day the First World War ended in Italy. The Piazza was once the Roman Forum and later the political and geographic centre of the Medieval city. It has always been of great importance for Perugia.

In the early Middle Ages, the five main streets of the city, the Vie Regali (Royal Roads), all started from this square. However, the most important development for the piazza was the transfer of the episcopal seat to the new temple of San Lorenzo, in the 10th century.

Thus, the square became the seat of both political (Palazzo dei Priori) and religious (the Cathedral) power.

The architecture of the square has changed through time, and the current layout dates from the late 16th century. The last changes date back to 1591 when Papal Legate Domenico Pinelli opened a new and wider access road (the present Via Calderini).