Piazza Mercantile (Merchant Square), Bari

Since medieval times, Ruga Francigena, the Pilgrims' Route leading to the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Bari, has originated from the area of Merchant Square (Piazza Mercantile). The square was connected to the port by the fortified Tower of Sant'Antonio, erected in 1440 by Prince Giovanni del Balzo Orsini.

The ruling family of Renaissance Italy, the House of Sforza, undertook urban renewal projects following the devastating fire and explosions of 1601. The square received a major overhaul. The Seat Palace (Palazzo Sedile) was quickly rebuilt with a bell tower and clock. A gate was opened to the Ferrarese Square, consolidating the business center of the city.

Journalist Lino Patruno compared Merchant Square to a model never "stopping winning our hearts as if it were for the first time." Historically, the square has been the commercial and political heart of the city. It is the home of the Seat Palace (Palazzo Sedile), the old Town Hall. Today, it is the meeting point of the people of Bari.

The Merchant Square is paved with stone. The Seat Palace, with its 16th-century Clock Tower, is the backdrop. The 16th-century Customs Palace (Palazzo della Dogana) caries the stone relief of the Sforza lion, reputed to ward off evil. The Baroque Fountain (Fontana Barocca), also known as the Pine Cone Fountain (Fontana della Pigna,) with its stem arising from a stone basin, has a relief of the Madonna.