The square takes its name from the Church of St. Francis, built in 1228 From a small group of Franciscan friars, who two years after the death of the saint of Assisi received the gift of a plot of land with a vegetable garden and a hut in the area then known as "Fratta," just outside the 13th-century walls. The church was originally dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene, and only in the 14th century was it dedicated to Saint Francis.
This beautiful and austere brick church with its white façade is connected to a large monastic complex, which extends over an area of over 12.000 square meters, with three bright cloisters.
Near the church there is another imposing building, Villa Guinigi, summer and representative residence of Paul Guinigi, lord of Lucca from 1401 to 1430, and today the seat of the National Museum of Villa Guinigi. Its rich collection of works of art tells the story of the city and the surrounding area from the 8th century BC to the 18th century.
Heading towards one of the most characteristic streets of the city, Fossi Street (so called because of the moat that divides it along its entire length), you arrive at a small crossroads, where seven roads converge: here you can admire a monument so dear to the people of Lucca, the Madonna of the Stellario. On a slender Corinthian column, a beautiful statue of the Madonna in Baroque style, the work of the sculptor Giovanni Lazzoni, stands out, placed at the top in the 1687On the base is a seventeenth-century view of Lucca.
Today, Piazza San Francesco is a vibrant and vibrant place, visited and appreciated by an ever-increasing number of residents and guests.
Every Wednesday it is animated by the stalls of the organic farmers market, where you can find local products, vegetables (including Slow Food Presidia such as the Lucca Canestrino Tomato and the Lucca Red Bean), fresh fruit, raw milk cheese, cured meats, Cinta Senese pork, flour, bread and baked goods, oil, wine and honey.
In the square or just a few steps away, in some of the city's best taverns, you can enjoy simple traditional dishes while chatting in good company on cool spring and summer evenings at outdoor tables.