Originally known as the Piazza dei Signori, the square was given a second name in 1865 when the statue of the poet, Dante Alighieri, was erected. It was created by the Italian sculptor Ugo Zannoni to celebrate the 6th centenary of Dante.  

When you come into  the piazza through the Arco della Costa (Costa Arch) on the left side you can see the Venetian-style facade of the Domus Nova. Next door is the Loggia del Consiglio, a fine  example of Renaissance architecture, now used by the Consiglio Provinciale di Verona (Provincial Council of Verona). The next building is the Palazzo  Scaligeri, a palace owned by the family who governed Verona from 1260 to 1387. The square also  has the entrance to the Palazzo del Capitano (Captain’s Palace), a building that once also belonged to the  Scaligeri family.

Finally don’t miss the Palazzo del Comune also known as the Palazzo della Ragione, which was built at the end of the 12th-century and is the oldest city hall in Italy. It has been restored several times and today the facade facing the Piazza delle Erbe is neo-classical while the facade on the Piazza Dante is Renaissance.