Piazza, or Square, are the beating hearts of every town and city.

They can be big or small, intimate or dramatic, humble, opulent, old, new and everything in between. In fact, sometimes a piazza isn’t a square at all.

What all piazzas have in common is their civic and symbolic importance: They’re the physical center of the community and also its prime outdoor theater; home to the most important religious and political buildings, the main cathedral, cafes, restaurants, and sometimes monuments or fountains. There’s no better place to people watch than in a piazza.