Piazza della Signoria (and below). By going down the steps to the left of the Cathedral, one finds a square arranged as a garden and balcony on the plains below. It gets its name from the austere construction to the left which supports the buildings above. This was probably the Palazzo della Signoria.

The back of the building is situated practically up next to the Caio Melisso Theatre. In the steepest part of the austere and aristocratic street above, via del Duomo, it presents the lovely Sala degli Armigeri (Arm-bearers' Hall) which is now used as a public exhibition area. On the left of the square one can admire the sisteenth-century Palazzo Dragoni facing the picturesque via dello Spagna which comes from via Saffi in conjunction with the descent of Vicolo Leoncilli (Roman substructures built under Sulla - Sostruzioni sillane).

The Palazzo Pucci della Genga stands to the right. Pope Leo XII belonged to the Pucci della Genga family. The palazzo was built at the end of the eighteenth century

with its main entrance in via Vaita de Domo behind.

This lane becomes the cobbled via delle Mura Ciclopiche (from Piazza della Signoria to the right) which was opened in the sixteenth century to join up directly the Cathedral to the Borgo di San Ponziano below. This lane is commonly called "La Ponzianina" from the name of the main street winding down from piazza De Amicis in front of the church of San Nicolò.

This walled-in suburb or "borgo" below has many rather odd streets and picturesque lanes running through it. these are:: via dell'Assalto,

via della Madonna degli Orti and square by the same name,

via degli Scaloni e vicolo degli Eroli, which is almost only a pathway amidst greenery and nature,

These run into via del Duomo and vicolo delle Baciafemmine After a run of steps, this last lane connects via degli Scaloni to the small piazzetta della Madonna degli Orti and is so narrow that two people cannot pass by one another in it without turning sideways.

This mediaeval suburb was closed off to the east by the Pontianine Gate (Porta Ponzianina) only bearly visible today. Beyond this and the city walls, there stretches out a street leading to the church of San Ponziano, protector of the city from whom the suburb takes its name. Slightly above the church the Basilica di San Salvatore can be found.