est ▁one , ▁features ▁the ▁Bar o que ▁Pal azzo ▁Ma ff ei , ▁decor ated ▁by ▁stat ues ▁of ▁Greek ▁gods . ▁It ▁is ▁faced ▁by ▁a ▁white ▁mar ble ▁column , ▁on ▁which ▁is ▁St . ▁Mark ' s ▁Lion , ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ven ice . ▁ ▁The ▁north - western ▁side ▁occup ies ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁ancient ▁Roman ▁Capit ol ▁Hill , ▁which ▁looked ▁towards ▁the ▁forum . ▁N umer ous ▁of ▁its ▁buildings ▁facing ▁the ▁square ▁have ▁maintained ▁fa ç ade ▁fres co es . ▁On ▁the ▁southern ▁side ▁is ▁the ▁c ren ell ated ▁Casa ▁dei ▁Mer c anti ▁(" H ouse ▁of ▁the ▁Mer ch ants ", ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Dom us ▁Mer c ator um ), ▁now ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁the ▁Ban ca ▁Pop olare ▁di ▁Ver ona . ▁Other ▁buildings , ▁the ▁tall ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁Gh etto , ▁are ▁rem in is cent ▁of ▁medieval ▁tower - h ouses . ▁ ▁The ▁square ' s ▁most ▁ancient ▁monument ▁is ▁the ▁f ount ain ▁( built ▁in ▁ 1 3 6 8 ▁by ▁C ans ign orio ▁della ▁Scala ), ▁sur mount ed ▁by ▁a ▁statue ▁called ▁Madonna ▁Ver ona , ▁which ▁is ▁however ▁a ▁Roman ▁sculpt ure ▁d ating ▁to ▁ 3 8 0 ▁AD . ▁Also ▁historical ▁is ▁the ▁capit ello , ▁d ating ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century , ▁during ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁several ▁cer emon ies , ▁including ▁the ▁o ath ▁of ▁invest