Next to the ancient Piazza Erbe, Case Mazzanti can be recognised by their gaudy Renaissance frescoes. At the end of 1200, these buildings belonged to the Scaliger family. The upper floors were used as granaries, while on the ground floor there were the workshops overlooking the noisy market. In 1532, Matteo Mazzanti’s family, whose members were rich textile merchants, built the buildings and improved the facade overlooking the square to show its wealth.
Already from 1300, Verona was also known as the urbs picta, which means painted city, for its amazing facades reproducing the effects of textiles, geometrical shapes, fake architectures and mythological figures characterised by bright colours. When observing it, you can notice the frescoes made by Alberto Cavalli representing Allegories of Ignorance and Good Governance.
Unfortunately, the weather has deteriorated most of them, but some of the originals are kept in the Museum of Frescoes.
The back entrance was the scene of a crime. In fact, in 1277 Mastino della Scala was assassinated there. The plaque on the Barbarian Face between via Mazzanti and Piazza dei Signori celebrates this terrible event.