In the fabric of time, San Francesco square is a precious piece that dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, created on a ground called "l'appianato" (smoothed out) obtained with the demolition of part of the walls for the expansion. It was here that the first church dedicated to Saint Francis was built, around which the structures that today define the square developed, with an eastern side enriched by buildings dating back to the 17th and 20th centuries, witnesses of the succession of centuries.

Its charm winds through buildings with Renaissance and Baroque architecture, embracing a varied history. In the centre, majestic and proud, stands the 1889 obelisk, a tribute to Garibaldi which stands out in the heart of the square. In front of this monument, the Dolphin Fountain sparkles, a work of art from around 1658, the result of the skilled hand of Ferdinando Tacca, the same genius who shaped the famous Bacchino Fountain in Piazza del Comune. This sculpture depicts two dolphins, whose tails cross in a water ballet, a rare artistic gem even if the one that adorns the square today is a faithful twentieth century copy of the original.

To the left of the church stands the building of the Roncioniana Library, dating back to the end of the eighteenth century, built to house the heritage donated by the Prato nobleman Marco Roncioni. Crossing its doors, you are greeted by a majolica jewel by Andrea della Robbia, dating back to around 1475, which depicts the Archangel Raphael and Tobias, an extraordinary testimony of Renaissance art. Beyond the atrium, the study room welcomes us in an environment of refined neoclassical taste, an elegant and inviting refuge for lovers of knowledge.

In Piazza San Francesco, every step is a journey through time, among artistic masterpieces and an atmosphere steeped in history and culture.