The side of Piazza Grande across the
cobbled square from the Porta Regia of the cathedral is occupied
by the Carimonte building, which dates from 1967. The existence
of a modern building in such an ancient setting requires explanation.
Until 1888 this side of the piazza was lined with houses of various
sizes, topped by roof-top loggias and chimneys, some with arcades
and with shops on their ground floors. The City Council, deciding
that these homely buildings were not worthy of Modena's magnificent
central square, decided to tear them all down. They were replaced
by the Law Court building, but nothing of this remains because
it in turn was superseded a few decades later by the headquarters
of the local savings bank, which has now become Carimonte. Its
architects set out to create a building which would reflect the
style of its ancient surroundings; their success is still open
to discussion.
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