Fontanella Piazza del Popolo

Updated April 15, 2024

## Fontanella Piazza del Popolo (Ravenna): a practical stop in the city’s civic heart

“Fontanella Piazza del Popolo” is a name you’ll see used in online listings for a small point of interest in Piazza del Popolo, the main civic square in Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna.
If you’re mapping a walking route through Ravenna’s historic center, it’s useful as a micro-landmark: an easy “meet here” spot inside a square that has been the city’s public-power stage for centuries. Turismo

Location (from your data): Piazza del Popolo, 48121 Ravenna (RA), Italy
Coordinates: 44.417836, 12.199816
Category: Tourist attraction (map/visitor POI)

—

## Why this square matters more than the “fontanella” label

The real reason to stop here isn’t an ornate standalone monument—it’s that Piazza del Popolo is one of Ravenna’s most legible history lessons, compressed into a single open space.

### Venetian rule, made visible
Ravenna’s tourism office describes how Venetian power shaped the square: in the mid-15th century, the Venetians enlarged and paved the area and added features that echoed Venice’s civic style. Turismo

The most obvious symbols are the two granite columns marking one side of the piazza. Ravenna Turismo notes the Venice-inspired model and that the columns were topped with Saint Apollinaris (Ravenna’s patron) and the Lion of Saint Mark. Turismo

A deeper, wonderfully specific detail: an official Ravenna Turismo piece says the columns were erected in 1483, and one of their bases includes a cycle of bas-reliefs with the twelve zodiac signs, plus Ophiuchus. Turismo
That’s the kind of small, under-noticed detail that turns “we walked through a square” into “we actually saw something.”

—

## What to look at around the piazza (and what it tells you)

### Palazzo Merlato (Ravenna’s municipal building)
Ravenna Turismo explains that the municipal building was completely rebuilt in 1681 and enlarged from 1761 onward, becoming known as Palazzo Merlato as the seat of municipal administration. Turismo
A dedicated page adds that the building was enlarged up to 1761 (including an added floor), and that the Ghibelline crenellation built in 1857 is why it’s called “Palazzo Merlato.” Turismo

Why it matters for visitors: it’s a quick way to “read” how civic architecture gets rewritten across centuries—rebuilds, expansions, then a 19th-century identity marker layered on top. Turismo

### Palazzo Apostolico (Prefecture today)
Ravenna Turismo notes that Palazzo Apostolico was renovated in 1696 (expanded by order of Cardinal Legate Francesco Barberini) and today houses the Prefecture. Turismo

—

## How to use the “fontanella” stop in a smart Ravenna itinerary

Piazza del Popolo works best as a connector between Ravenna’s headline sights—especially if your main goal is the city’s early Christian mosaic heritage.

### Pair it with Ravenna’s UNESCO mosaics (the “why Ravenna” list)
UNESCO’s official listing explains that Ravenna was a major seat of power in the 5th century and then Byzantine Italy until the 8th century, and highlights the city’s unique collection of early Christian mosaics and monuments. World Heritage Centre

UNESCO’s “Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna” serial property consists of eight monuments, built in the 5th–6th centuries:
– Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
– Neonian Baptistery
– Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo
– Arian Baptistery
– Archiepiscopal Chapel
– Mausoleum of Theodoric
– Church of San Vitale
– Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe World Heritage Centre

Ravenna’s own tourism portal also lists these eight monuments and notes their UNESCO status since December 1996. Turismo

Practical takeaway: Piazza del Popolo is not a “destination” in the same way San Vitale or Galla Placidia is—but it’s a natural place to pause, re-orient, and then continue your mosaic circuit. World Heritage Centre

—

## What might be outdated (and how to sanity-check on the ground)

Some elements tied to the piazza’s columns have changed historically, and different guides summarize the timeline differently. For example, an Emilia-Romagna travel guide notes that the Lion of Saint Mark “disappeared” after Ravenna fell in 1509.
Meanwhile, Ravenna Turismo’s column-focused story emphasizes their erection in 1483 and discusses what was placed on top of them, plus the zodiac bas-reliefs. Turismo

What to do with that: treat the columns and their bases as the primary “in-person evidence,” and use onsite plaques/signage (if present) to confirm what you’re seeing today versus what once stood there. The historical arc—Venetian symbolism expressed via columns—is consistent across official Ravenna Turismo materials. Turismo

—

—

## Quick “what to notice” checklist in the piazza

– The two granite columns and their symbolism tied to Venetian rule. Turismo
– Column-base reliefs (look for zodiac imagery) described in Ravenna Turismo’s column history. Turismo
– Palazzo Merlato’s crenellation and the building’s layered rebuild/expansion history (1681, 1761, 1857). Turismo
– Palazzo Apostolico and its 1696 renovation, now the Prefecture. Turismo

—

Piazza del Popolo – Ravenna Turismo

Key Highlights

Fontanella Piazza del Popolo

Location

Places to Stay Near Fontanella Piazza del Popolo

Find and Book a Tour

Explore More Travel Guides