Since the square stands where once there were the walls, Giuseppe Frizzi had to face the problem of the difference in height between Via Po and the river; in order to dilute the abundant 7-meter difference in height, he designed cross streets, which subdivide the buildings into blocks and placed some of the façades in an advanced position, so as to make the difference in height of the buildings imperceptible. Even the big size of the square played in his favor.