Piazza della Vittoria, Lodi

Piazza della Vittoria, known as "Piazza Maggiore" until 1924, represents the heart of the city of Lodi: it is overlooked, in particular, by the cathedral basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption and the Town Hall as well as the Vistarini Palace, one of the most beautiful in the city. Its layout has remained virtually unchanged through the centuries: the square is characterized by a quadrangular plan with sides of about 74 meters. With 66 columns supporting the porticoes, some of which come from the destroyed Laus Pompeia, it is a rare example of a square porticoed on all four sides. This unique peculiarity, combined with the elegance of the buildings facing it, makes it a particularly striking and scenic place. Victory Square, in fact, has often been chosen to host events of national interest and recordings of television commercials; the Italian Touring Club, moreover, included it in 2004 in its list of the most beautiful squares in Italy.

The facades of the buildings facing the square have very narrow widths, in some cases only a few meters. This characteristic is due to the use of the deep but narrow "Gothic lot," typical of all cities of medieval origin, designed to make maximum use of the space facing the main square. For this reason, all buildings have the same characteristics: the store on the first floor with a space covered by the porch on the front and warehouses in the basement, the residence on the upper floor and the courtyard at the back.

The paving of the square, in the typical "ricciato lombardo" consisting of river pebbles, would date back to 1471. In the first half of the 19th century, the center of the quadrangle was occupied by an imposing equestrian statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, erected by the French general himself to celebrate his victory in the Battle of Lodi.

The square has always been at the center of the city's life: in the Middle Ages, executions, fairs and festivals for the arrival of bishops were held there, and even in more modern times, the major personalities who have visited Lodi have always passed through this square: from Giuseppe Garibaldi to Benito Mussolini, John Paul II and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Currently, the square is used as a pedestrian area; the traditional street market is also held there on Tuesdays and Thursdays.