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 They were replaced by the Law Court building, but nothing of this remains because it in turn was superseded a few decades later by the headquarters of the local savings bank, which has now become Carimonte.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.