Lauben-Gasse and Piazza Erbe

The town of Bolzano was founded around the year 1180. Its first street, the Lauben-Gasse or 'Arcaded Street', once Bolzano's only street, was the centre of the flourishing trading town. The prince bishop of Trento provided the building ground for this street, along the Emperors' Route from Brennero to Rome, and awarded the intentionally narrow buildings plots to tradesmen and craftsmen. The street was protected by a gate at both sides and Silber Gasse (Argentieri road), which runs parallel, had two towers, a wall and a defensive ditch. At one end there is the old town hall built in 1277, and on the other the colourful and lively piazza delle Erbe, hosting the famous daily market. Read more on here. Photo by J. M. (CC by-sa)