When Brescia was under Roman rule, this square was the centre both of religious and political life. The
Capitolium temple, prominently situated at the north end, had an arcade with a double order of columns, as can be seen from the remains of the arches on the former ground level. The Basilica (the law courts) was situated on the south side: remains of this edifice can be seen incorporated into the nearby houses in Piazza Labus.
The magnificent Piazza del Foro was traversed by the “Decumanus Massimus” (nowadays Via dei Musei) which ran from Bergamo to Verona.
The
Church of San Zeno in Foro faces onto this road. It has a small churchyard enclosed by railings with statues of intertwined dolphins; inside the church a collection of paintings deserves attention.