It is the highest point of the city, the heart of civil and religious power. The 'platea rotunda', as it was called at the beginning of the 14th century due to its almost circular shape, became the centre of city life from the Middle Ages onwards and the point of convergence of the five main streets that divide the town into segments.
Standing out in the Piazza is the mighty Palazzo Comunale with its Bell Tower, formerly known as Palazzo del Popolo, with its round arches outlining the façade. Built in 1270 with very small dimensions, it was later enlarged on the entire left side during the 15th century, when the loggia with octagonal pillars, finished with capitals with large acanthus leaves, was added, above which is the large terrace that towers over the square. It is from here that each year, during the Renaissance re-enactment of the “Fuga del Bove”, the winner of the coveted Falco d’Oro is announced as the prize for the competitions held by the four historic quarters of Sant’Agostino, San Bartolomeo, San Fortunato e San Francesco Since 1972, the event has been revoking the Renaissance splendor of this municipality, inspired by the historical period between 1400 and 1500.
The Palazzo houses the Civic Library, with around 10,000 volumes (legal and scholastic works from the 16th century, incunabula and manuscripts) and the Municipal Historical Archive, with documents from the 15th to the 19th century. The splendid setting of the Piazza Rotonda also includes:the ex Oratorio of S. Filippo Neri (1705), transformed into the present Theatre in 1895 ,the small church of S. Maria di Piazza documented from the 13th century, with a fresco inside depicting a Madonna in Trono by Francesco Melanzio, in which he replicates the characteristic stylistic models of Renaissance figurative culture. Crowning the square are some of the fine noble palaces that characterise the village with their serene Renaissance balance: Palazzo Senili (16th century), Palazzo Santi-Gentili (16th century) and Palazzo de Cuppis (16th century).
