Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco is a major junction in Prato, linking the historic centre with the Bisenzio and the railway station. Its medieval church and a monumental marble sculpture by Henry Moore mark the changing character of the city.

Why it matters

The square preserves traces of Prato's transition from a walled town to a modern city. The church of San Marco gave the piazza its name; the medieval Porta San Marco, also called Porta Fiorentina, was demolished in 1883 to make way for the tramway. In 1974, Moore's sculpture brought contemporary art into this urban crossroads.

What to notice

Moore's Square Form with Cut is carved from thirty blocks of white Apuan marble, stands more than five metres tall and weighs nearly 170 tonnes. Locally it is nicknamed il Buco, “the hole.” The church of San Marco survives on the western side of the square, and the Calvana ridge forms a backdrop to the sculpture.

Context and history

The square developed after the demolition of the medieval gate and an adjoining stretch of wall. The sculpture was purchased by the municipality with local industrialists Gori and Bertini after Moore's 1972 exhibition at Florence's Forte Belvedere. Installed in 1974, it was Prato's first major contemporary artwork in a public space.