Piazza del Duomo is the heart of San Gimignano, as it was the center of political and religious life in the Middle Ages, and is the intersection between Via Francigena (running north to south) and the old Via Pisa Siena (running east to west). It is a square paved with red bricks in the form of a trapezoid, lined with a group of monumental buildings, including the Roman Church of Santa Maria Assunta, Palazzo del Popolo, Grosso Tower and many others. Also dotted around the square are a range of local shops, cafes and restaurants.