Piazza degli Scacchi
Last updated on September 7, 2026Overview
Marostica's main square is paved as a chessboard -- permanently, in coloured stone -- and every second September it is used as one. The Partita a Scacchi puts several hundred costumed people onto it as living pieces, in an event the town has staged since 1954.
Quick Facts
- Type: Square/Plazza
- Local name: Piazza degli Scacchi (vedi la pagina italiana)
- A permanent chessboard: Laid into the paving at full playing scale, and used as an ordinary market square the rest of the time.
- Played every second year: The Partita a Scacchi has run since 1954, on the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, with several hundred costumed participants.
Visit Responsibly
Marostica's visitor pressure is concentrated almost entirely into the chess weekend; the rest of the year the square's cafés and shops depend on ordinary local trade. Coming outside the event is better for the town.
The square is a working market place, and the June cherry stalls are growers rather than resellers.
Where it is
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© OpenStreetMap contributors · © CARTO · 45.7461, 11.6553
Plan Your Visit
Open public square, free and always accessible. The Castello Inferiore on its edge is ticketed and holds the costumes and armour used in the game.
Marostica has no station; buses from Bassano del Grappa take about 20 minutes. Park outside the walls and walk in.
When to Visit
June, for cherry season and the market, is the pleasantest ordinary time. The second weekend of September in even years is the Partita a Scacchi -- tickets sell out months ahead and the town is full.
Evenings are the best of any day, when the arcades fill and the castle is lit.