Logge del Mercato in Lari
The village shopping area
One central location, deeply connected to the everyday life of the village of Lari is Piazza Matteotti with its Logge del Mercato (Market Loggias).
It was 1559 when the Lari inhabitants asked Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici for permission to create a space dedicated to the weekly market, a square with a covered loggia where they could meet for trade.
Construction was completed in 1565, concluding with the placement of the Medici coat of arms.
Later, in 1625, the loggia was adorned with frescoes that have since disappeared with time.
The entire complex is a good illustration of a change in perspective of the period. The focus, by both inhabitants and rulers, was beginning to shift from defensive structures to those designed to support trade and village life.
Originally, the loggia consisted of three arches, but an 1846 earthquake caused enough damage to require reconstruction, leading to the current 5-arch configuration.
