The triangular piazza in front of the Sette Chiese is one of the most photographed corners of Bologna and one of the few open squares in the medieval centre. The cobbled funnel widens out from the narrow Via Santo Stefano, framed on both sides by the long porticoes of patrician houses.
The space hosts a monthly antiques market and the city's Christmas market in December. Most of the time it functions simply as a wide place to sit and watch the cyclists, students, and tourists drift past the church complex. Pick a bar table on the south side for the best view of the brick facades in afternoon light.