Loggia

In architecture, a loggia (/ˈloʊdʒ(i)ə/ LOH-j(ee-)ə, usually UK: /ˈlɒdʒ(i)ə/ LOJ-(ee-)ə, Italian: [ˈlɔddʒa]) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, often on an upper level, sometimes on the ground level of a building.

The corridor is open to the elements because its outer wall is only partial, with the upper part usually supported by a series of columns or arches.

[2] From the early Middle Ages, nearly every Italian comune had an open arched loggia in its main square, which served as a "symbol of communal justice and government and as a stage for civic ceremony".

[3] In Italian architecture, a loggia is also a small garden structure or house built on the roof of a residence, open on one or more sides, to enjoy cooling winds and the view.

The portico allows entrance to the inside from the exterior and can be found on vernacular and small scale buildings.

The Renaissance three-storey arcade loggia of the City Hall in Poznań, Poland , served representative and communication purposes.
Villa Godi by Palladio . The portico is the focal point in the center with loggias used at each side of the structure as a corridor.
Loggia Valmarana in Vicenza, Italy , by Palladio , UNESCO