Piazza della Repubblica in Livorno
A large terrace that locals call Il Voltone
Piazza della Repubblica, 190,000 square metres in size, is one of the largest piazzas in Livorno. It was built in the early 19th century based on a project by the architect Luigi Bettarini. In Antiquity, chariots would pass through this area, which is attested to by the pillars, used by owners to tie up their horses. Today, the piazza is a gathering place and hosts many local events.
On both sides of the piazza, one opposite the other, there are two statues that were placed here in the 19th century and which depict the Grand Dukes Ferdinand III and Leopold II, made by Francesco Pozzi and Emilio Santarelli, respectively. The Cisternino is also located in the piazza, a Neoclassical building erected in the early 19th century of providing water to the city.
This place is one of the most important in Livorno. The piazza is also called “Il Voltone” by the locals because of the imposing vault (volto) over the Fosso Reale, which once ran around the entire defense wall.
