The Hospital of Prato, with the old name of "Misericordia e Dolce", was abandoned in 2014. It operated since 1200 in a vast complex of ancient buildings, constructed and modified from the thirteenth century until the late nineteenth century that after the disposal were home to offices and services of the local health authorities.
Since the early sixties was added a large modern building, which occupied the large area of the old "holding of the Hospital". The addition of a surface of 43,000 square meters destroyed a green lung of almost 4 hectares and caused a serious wound to the urban fabric of the city, tolerated only for the health facility the mighty estate gave answer.
In 2002, the Tuscany Region has approved the "New Hospital" project that involved the construction of new hospitals in Apuane area, Lucca, Pistoia and Prato, locating the latter out of the city centre, in Galciana.
The new hospital was opened in 2013 leaving free within the ancient walls a strategic area for the development of new functions. The City Council immediately took into consideration the possibility of regaining the City the area of the "Podere dello Spedale" to achieve an equipped urban park of considerable size.
In 2014 was signed between the ASL, Comune di Prato and Tuscany Region a Programme Agreement for the "environmental restoration of the urban area remained unused as a result of the transfer to another seat of the Hospital Misericordia e Dolce, a total area of 39,000 square meters”. The Agreement provides that a major portion of the area will become property of the Municipality and will be used for the urban regeneration of the historic centre and to foster the development of the city.