Prato
It is a little known fact that Prato is Tuscany’s 2nd largest city and the 3rd largest city in central Italy after Rome and Florence. Overshadowed by its somewhat more famous neighbour, Florence, Prato has a rich and varied history.
Cathedral, Palazzi and Museums
The 13th century Cathedral of S. Stefano boasts a terracotta by Andrea della Robbia, the 15th century pulpit of The Sacred Belt by Michelozzo and works by Donatello, Mino da Fiesole, Antonio Rossellino, Filippino Lippi, Paolo Uccello and Benedetto da Maiano.
In the Museum of the Works of the Duomo, located in the Medieval Episcopal Palace, there are paintings, sculptures and frescoes by Filippino Lippi, Paolo Uccello, and Spinello Aretino.
The 13th century Pretorial Palace houses the Communal Art Gallery containing important works from the Tuscan, Neapolitan, Roman and Dutch Schools.
S. Maria delle Carceri, started by Giuliano da Maiano in 1484 and finished by Giuliano da Sangallo in 1495 contains glazed terracotta decorated made by Andrea della Robbia (1492).
Castle of the Emperor was built by Federico II in the 13th century, and is the only example of Swedish architecture in central-western Italy.
The Alberti Palace, headquarters of the Alberti Gallery, houses a precious collection of Baroque Tuscan paintings, with works by Caravaggio, Bellini, and Filippo Lippi.
www.PratoArteStoria.it in Italian only
Francesco Di Marco Da Prato Datini was a resident of this city. The business and private papers of this Italian international merchant and banker, preserved in the Palazzo Datini in Prato, constitute one of the most important archives of the economic history of the Middle Ages.
www.istitutodatini.it
Finally, the Luigi Pecci Museum of Contemporary Art is worth visiting. It contains one of the most important collections in Italy, housed in an extremely modern complex (1987), planned by Italo Ciamverini. The museum contains temporary exhibits and displays. www.centropecci.it/ in Italian and English
The Monash University Prato Centre, opened in 2001, is one of the two European centres established by Monash as part of its vigorous internationalisation policy and is now the largest Australian academic institution of its kind in Europe. http://www.ita.monash.edu/
Textiles and their Local History
Outside the city walls is the unique Textile Museum, which offers a thorough presentation of the textile activity between the 15th and the 19th centuries.
www.museodeltessuto.it in Italian only
The manufacturing of clothes developed in the city and in the Bisenzio Valley. Francesco di Marco Datini greatly boosted the Prato textile industry and trade. Through a network of his stores, the woollen cloth extended to many European countries enabling in return, the importation of valuable coloured fabrics through the same routes. Prato flourished and enjoyed a period of comfort. During this time important works of art were commissioned to great masters such as Filippo Lippi, Giuliano da Sangallo, and Mino da Fiesole that are witness the town's cultural advancement By the end of the 18th century the first important wool factory was founded by Giovacchino Mazzoni. In the 19th century, a learned mechanical technician, Giovan Battista Mazzoni, improved spinning machines and designed projects. Also thanks to his work, Prato starts feeling the positive effects of industrial revolution. From the 1960s, we can see a substantial renewal in machines and technologies and the use of regenerated raw-materials turns to materials of superior quality, coming directly from the garment industry.
At the same time, in the textile district of Prato an important production diversification towards high quality items, using valuable fibres (virgin wools, cashemere, silk, linen, cotton, viscose, microfibres, etc.) comes into use. Also in the area of knitwear Prato has gained a world-wide leadership. For many years, Prato textile products have been chosen by the great stylists of the "Made in Italy” brand.
