PARCHEGGIO MODERNO LIVORNO

Piazza Attias: History and Transformations in Livorno

Piazza Attias is one of the main squares in Livorno, named after the historic Attias villa, which was demolished in 1968. The villa, located in front of the Santa Elisabetta building, was an important landmark in the area.

The square was once home to several villas with lush gardens, the most significant being Villa Attias. Starting in the 19th century, as the city expanded southward, the area became of increasing interest. Notably, Pasquale Poccianti proposed the creation of a square at the intersection of the straight axis coming from the Bastione del Casone and the ancient “percorso delle guglie” (now Corso Mazzini and Corso Umberto). This alignment, in 1776, helped define the military boundaries of the fortified city.

However, it was only after World War II that the Attias area underwent significant transformations. Between the 1950s and the early 1970s, the gradual reduction of gardens and the demolition of villas led to the formation of a square surrounded by imposing buildings. There was also a proposal—never realized— to build a road axis skirting the 19th-century city to address the road network deficiencies in the southern districts beyond Fosso Reale.

Due to its central location, at the intersection of some of Livorno’s busiest streets, the square has become one of the city’s main gathering spaces, although it has also experienced significant urban decay.

Starting in 2011, Piazza Attias underwent a redevelopment plan that involved the complete renovation of its pavement and urban furnishings, including waterproofing the underground parking structure below. During these works, a large “A,” evoking the name “Attias,” was placed on the western edge of the square. This sculpture was created by artist Renato Spagnoli.

A second installation was added in 2017 in the passageway connecting Piazza Attias and Piazza della Vittoria. Created by artist Fabrizio Breschi and officially inaugurated in September 2018, this artwork features a blue “V,” with its lower section forming the letters “A” for Attias and “M” for Magenta, the original name of Piazza della Vittoria.

Also in 2017, at the intersection with Via Roma, a bust of Amedeo Modigliani was placed. Created in 1955 by sculptor Vitaliano De Angelis and originally located in the park of Villa Fabbricotti, the bust was mounted on a new pedestal near the artist’s birthplace.