
Municipality square
It is an interesting intimate and unitary space, also rich and varied, in which the medieval public palaces of the ancient municipality harmonize with neo-sixteenth century architecture with airy porticoes.
Piazza del Comune, created at the end of the thirteenth century at the intersection of the two medieval routes that divide the historical city into neighborhoods, is the political and topographical center of Prato. There are Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo Pretorio. Enlarged in 1408, it underwent further interventions up to the 16th century. Originally protected by wooden porticoes, the square was used as a market for meat, oil and wheat, as well as for public meetings and events. In the middle of the square stands the statue of the merchant Francesco di Marco Datini (1335-1410) realized by Antonio Garella in 1896. Worthy of note is the bronze fountain of Bacchino, representing a baby Bacchus on bunches of grapes, that is a copy of the original one made by Ferdinando Tacca, now kept in the municipal hall.