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Loggia del Lionello

Udine's 1448 Venetian Gothic loggia, the pink-and-white heart of Piazza Libertà.

  • Udine
  • Monument
Plan your visit
Where
Udine
Best for
Venetian Gothic loggia of 1448
Allow
20 minutes
Tickets
Free

Udine's old town hall looks like it wandered in from Venice, a pink-and-white Gothic loggia raised in 1448 to a design attributed to the goldsmith Nicolò Lionello, after whom it is named.

Alternating bands of rose and white stone wrap a ground floor of ten graceful arches, with a central balcony and twin triforas above; a fire gutted the building in 1876, and it was faithfully rebuilt afterward in the same Venetian Gothic style. It anchors Piazza Libertà, often called the most beautiful Venetian-style square outside Venice itself, and now serves as a venue for exhibitions rather than municipal government.

Four things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. The central balcony and twin triforasVenetian Gothic, 1448 onward

    Stone coats of arms of the city sit between the balcony and the paired triple windows.Main facade, facing Piazza Libertà

  2. The pentafora with the AnnunciationReligious roundels and reliefs

    A refined five-light window framed with stone roundels showing the Annunciation and reliefs of the evangelists.Upper north side

  3. The great staircase under the central archesStone staircase

    A wide stone stair climbs through the central arches to the upper hall and connects the loggia to the square.Front, occupying the two central arches

  4. The Arco BollaniAndrea Palladio, 1556

    Palladio's triumphal arch frames the climb to the castle hill just beyond the loggia.At the foot of the castle ramp, by the piazza

Plan your visit

Everything you need before you go.

Tickets
Free
Booking
No booking needed
Time needed
20 minutes
Best time
Evening, when Piazza Libertà is lit and the arcades cast long shadows
Getting there
The loggia stands in Piazza Libertà, Udine's main square, an easy walk from the train station.

Free to view from the piazza; interior exhibitions may charge a separate entry fee depending on the show.

Look up at the clock tower (Torre dell'Orologio) just across the square while you're there: its two bronze Moors striking the bell is Udine's small answer to Venice's own Torre dell'Orologio.

Official website
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Good to know

How long should you spend at the Loggia del Lionello?

About 20 minutes is enough to admire the facade and the square. Add more if an exhibition is on and you go inside.

Can you go inside the Loggia del Lionello?

It now works as an exhibition venue rather than a town hall, so you can go in when a show is on. Check the local tourism site for the current exhibition schedule.

Is the Loggia del Lionello worth visiting?

Yes, especially in the evening, when the piazza is lit and the arcades cast long shadows. It is the centerpiece of Udine's most Venetian-feeling square, and it was rebuilt faithfully after a fire in the 19th century.

More to see nearby

Same city first, then the nearest across the region.

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