The heart of Domodossola is Piazza Mercato, a very picturesque gathering place that has become a symbol of the town, visited and photographed by thousands of tourists.
With its characteristic 15th-century porticoes, which support elegant houses with balconies and loggias built in the 15th and 16th century, Piazza Mercato is charmingly asymmetrical. The columns that support Romanesque and Gothic arches boast finely-carved capitals and the façades display the coats of arms of the great Ossola families, such as De Rodis, Dalla Silva, Da Ponte and Ferrari.
The centre of the square was once occupied by the 14th-century town hall, which was demolished in 1805 when the Napoleonic Simplon Pass was opened. The building featured a “butter bell” that regulated selling hours for local farmers with its tolls. The northern side formerly contained the palace of the Bishop-Count and its accompanying tower. To the south, the Teatro Galletti is still standing.
