Piazza Grande (Modena)

Piazza Grande, a spacious and lovely square, is the centre of everything in Modena, the site of all celebrations and demonstrations, of Carnival and the two winter festivals (17. and 31. January). For centuries it was also the home of the weekly Monday morning market, though that has now been moved to the charming Mercato Albinelli, with the outdoor stands and the clothes and antiques markets in the Parco Novi Sad a few streets to the north.

Architecturally, it seems at first glance an odd arrangement, with the Duomo turning its side to the Piazza while the facade and campanile, La Ghirlandina, are tucked into smaller piazzas of their own. (for the medieval design aesthetic behind the plan, see here.)