Piazza della Vittoria (Piazza Magenta)

View of Piazza della VittoriaAt the far end of Via Magenta, this huge tree-lined piazza with its enormous church - Santa Maria del Soccorso - is a pleasant surprise amidst the maze of busy streets that lie around it.

Originally called Piazza Magenta when it was created in the 19th century, the square was renamed in the 1920s when a monument to the war fallen - Monumento ai Caduti - the work of sculptor Mario Carlesi, was erected. The monument features a statue of the goddess of Victory which gave the square its new name. Locally, however, the piazza is still known as Piazza Magenta.

From the steps of Santa Maria del Soccorso: Back of the War Monument and Via MagentaPiazza della Vittoria is popular with dog-walkers (there is a special fenced-off area for dogs), children, graffiti artists, and groups of friends meeting for a chat in the shade. It is a short-cut for cyclists (and sometimes motorcyclists) wanting to get from town to the area north of the square.

Most of the buildings around the square are private apartments, but there are a few shops and restaurants as well. The adjoining Via Magenta is a popular shopping street, although trade has declined considerably in recent years since the local council made the street accessible to buses and residents only.

Piazza della Vittoria (Piazza Magenta)The perimeter of the square is marked out as parking areas, the blue lines indicating that payment at a meter is required (9am-1pm and 3pm-8pm Mon-Sat). It costs €1 for the first hour and €1.50 for the second. You are only supposed to park for up to two hours, but going back to get a new ticket when the two hours are up is standard practice. NB. No blue lines means parking is for residents only.

The number 2 and number 6 buses stop in Via Magenta.