Center of the Prince's public life
As well as being the centre of political and administrative power, Ducal Square, Perfectly rectangular in shape, it has historically been a hub of commerce and trade. On the two long sides of the square, on the ground floor of private buildings, are wide porticoes with rusticated white marble ashlars, under which the market once took place.
Some of the city's most significant buildings overlook the square.
Ducal Palace: the Duke's main representative office and residence. In the past, the building was connected by an overpass to adjacent structures, including the Palace of the Light Cavalry, which housed the auxiliary offices. In two rooms of the palace, Vespasian placed the "Libreria Grande", a vast library now unfortunately lost, which housed works by classical and modern authors, treatises on geometry, urban planning and military engineering. Located behind the Doge's Palace, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Crowned, serves as the mausoleum of the Gonzaga family.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta: it stands among the stately buildings that border the square, while in the immediate vicinity is the small Church of San Rocco.