Piazza del Comune

Piazza del Comune is a small square in the historic centre of Prato, framed by the Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo Pretorio. Created at the end of the thirteenth century where two medieval routes crossed, it became a setting for markets, public gatherings and civic events.

Why it matters

The square was Prato’s political and topographic centre. Its original wooden porticoes sheltered markets for meat, oil and grain, along with public assemblies and celebrations. The square’s present unified appearance reflects work by architect Giuseppe Valentini between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

What to notice

At the centre stands a marble statue of merchant and benefactor Francesco di Marco Datini (1335–1410), sculpted by Antonio Garella in 1896. Bronze reliefs on the pedestal depict episodes from the merchant’s life. Nearby, the Fontana del Bacchino by Ferdinando Tacca dates to the mid-seventeenth century. The Bacchus figure now in the square is a twentieth-century copy; the original is kept inside Palazzo Comunale.

The Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo Pretorio face each other across the square. Palazzo Pretorio houses the city museum, while the town hall has a gallery. The palace facades and arcades show the changes made to the square across several centuries.

Context and history

The square developed around the crossing of the medieval routes that divided Prato’s historic centre into quarters. Its market and civic functions shaped the space, while the Datini statue and Bacchino fountain added monuments in the nineteenth and seventeenth centuries, respectively. Datini’s nearby house became a museum and now also houses the State Archive of Prato.