Quadrilatero
Medieval market quarter of narrow lanes named for the guilds that once traded there.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Quadrilatero in Bologna listens past today's market chatter for the Lucardina, the bell once rung from a marble balcony on the Palazzo della Mercanzia to summon the crowd. It traces the merchants' court that opened here in 1391, built starting in 1384 by Lorenzo da Bagnomarino and later fitted with windows by Antonio di Vincenzo, and follows what happened when the court judged a merchant had gone bankrupt on purpose. The guide walks the surrounding lanes, Pescherie Vecchie, Drapperie and Orefici, where reputations were built one sale at a time. Stand by the loggia's central pillar and picture the market watching.
This audio guide was created using AI.