Piazza Mercatale, Medieval square in Prato, Italy

Piazza Mercatale is a large medieval square in central Prato, known for its elongated almond shape. One side runs directly along the Bisenzio River, where old stone walls still mark the edge of the open space.

The square took shape in the 12th century as open ground next to the Bisenzio River and quickly became the site of a major September fair that drew merchants from across the region. That trading role shaped much of the city's economic life for centuries.

This square has served as a gathering place for the city's residents since medieval times. Today, markets and public events continue to animate the space and shape community life.

The square sits in the heart of Prato and is easy to reach on foot from the train station and the old city center. Cafes and restaurants line the surrounding streets, making it a comfortable stop at any time of day.

The wool-stretching sheds called tiratoi were built in 1531 by the Arte della Lana, the wool guild, as public spaces where individual wool workers hung cloth by hooks from a horizontal pole and tensioned it with a lower stick. The guilds were suppressed in 1775 and the sheds passed to the city, which demolished them in the 19th century.