Florence - Piazza di Santa Croce

In front of the church of Santa Croce is a square which would have been unusually large for the Middle Ages, and was clearly intended for festivals and popular assembly or as a site for the Franciscan monks to preach their sermons. Focal points are the 17th century fountain on the west side of the square, the large monument to Dante and two palazzi.

A type of football was played here as early as the 16th century; a commemorative plaque on the facade of the Palazzo dell'Antella marks the boundary line. The tradition has been carried on till the present day, and every June the piazza is the setting for the "Calcio Storico Fiorentino", a game of football in 16th century costume.