Loggia del Pesce and Piazza dei Ciompi

The Loggia del Pesce, now in Piazza dei Ciompi, was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1567 on commission from Grand Duke Cosimo I. It was intended for the fishmongers who had lost their riverside pitches when the Vasari Corridor was built and had moved to the site of present-day Via Pellicceria. This location, too, became an obstacle during clearance of the ghetto and construction of today’s Piazza della Repubblica, when Florence was the capital. The loggia was dismantled and only rebuilt in Piazza dei Ciompi in 1956, no longer serving its original purpose but reusing the original materials. In particular, roundels in the arch spandrels depict different species of fish and marine animals. A plaque at number 11 recalls the home of Lorenzo Ghiberti, creator of the famous Gates of Paradise of Florence’s Baptistery. More recently, after the flea market moved to Piazza Annigoni, Piazza dei Ciompi underwent major improvements and often hosts a variety of events. Its name comes from the lower-ranking wool workers who led the famous revolt of 1378.