Piazza delle Carceri, Prato, Toscana, Italia 07

Piazza San Francesco (Prato) notte con neve

Prato ( , ) is a city and ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' in

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city lies in the north east of Tuscany, at the foot of

Monte Retaia Monte Retaia (768 m) is one of the highest mountains of the Calvana mountain range in Tuscany, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in t ...

, elevation , the last peak in the Calvana chain. With more than 200,000 inhabitants, Prato is Tuscany's second largest city (after Florence) and the third largest in Central Italy (after

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and Florence). Historically, Prato's economy has been based on the textile industry and its district is the largest in Europe. The textile district of Prato is made up of about 7000 fashion companies, obtaining around 2 billion euros from exports. The renowned

Datini archives Francesco di Marco Datini (c. 1335 – 16 August 1410) was an Italian merchant born in Prato. Datini is notable for having implemented the first Partnership, partnership system in business in 1383. Biography Datini was one of four children of Ma ...

are a significant collection of late medieval documents concerning economic and trade history, produced between 1363 and 1410. The city boasts important historical and artistic attractions, with a cultural span that started with the

Etruscans The Etruscan civilization () was developed by a people of Etruria in ancient Italy with a common language and culture who formed a federation of city-states. After conquering adjacent lands, its territory covered, at its greatest extent, rou ...

and then expanded in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

and reached its peak with the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

, when artists such as

Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), better known as Donatello ( ), was a Republic of Florence, Florentine sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sculpture and use ...

Filippo Lippi Filippo Lippi ( – 8 October 1469), also known as Lippo Lippi, was an Italian painter of the Quattrocento (15th century) and a Carmelite Priest. Biography Lippi was born in Florence in 1406 to Tommaso, a butcher, and his wife. He was orp ...

and

Botticelli Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi ( – May 17, 1510), known as Sandro Botticelli (, ), was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. Botticelli's posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century, when he was rediscovered ...

left their testimonies in the city. The famous '' cantucci'', a type of

biscotti Biscotti (; ; en, biscuits), known also as cantucci (), are Italian almond biscuits that originated in the Tuscan city of Prato. They are twice-baked, oblong-shaped, dry, crunchy, and may be dipped in a drink, traditionally Vin Santo. Name ...

invented in Prato during the Middle Ages, are still produced by local traditional bakers.

History

Ancient times

Archaeological findings have proved that Prato's surrounding hills were inhabited since

Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...

times. The plain was later colonized by the

. In 1998 remains of a previously unknown city from that civilization were discovered in the neighbourhood of

Gonfienti Gonfienti is a ''frazione'' (detached village) located in the suburbs of the town of Prato. The actor Giorgio Panariello lives here. Main sights *Remains of the Etruscan city of Camars Camars was an ancient Etruscan city, situated in the vi ...

near Campi Bisenzio. It was of medium size and it was already a centre for the

wool Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have properties similar to animal wool. As ...

and

textile industry The textile industry is primarily concerned with the design, production and distribution of yarn, cloth and clothing. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry. Industry process Cotton manufacturi ...

. According to some scholars, it could be the mythical Camars. The Etruscan city was inhabited until the 5th century BC, when, for undisclosed reasons, it decayed; control of the area later shifted to the Romans, who had their

Via Cassia The ''Via Cassia'' ("way of Cassius") was an important Roman road striking out of the ''Via Flaminia'' near the Milvian Bridge in the immediate vicinity of Rome and, passing not far from Veii, traversed Etruria. The ''Via Cassia'' passed throug ...

pass through here, but did not build any settlement.

Middle Ages

In the early

, the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

and Lombard dominations prevailed in the region. The history of Prato itself begins from the 10th century, when two distinct villages, Borgo al Cornio and ''Castrum Prati'' (Prato's Castle), are known. In the following century the two settlements were united under the lords of the castle, the Alberti family, who received the imperial title of Counts of Prato. In the same period the plain was drained and a hydraulic system regulating and exploiting the waters of the Bisenzio River was created to feed the ''gualchierae'' (pre-industrial textile machines). After a siege in 1107 by the troops of

Matilde of Canossa Matilda of Tuscany ( it, Matilde di Canossa , la, Matilda, ; 1046 – 24 July 1115 or Matilda of Canossa after her ancestral castle of Canossa), also referred to as ("the Great Countess"), was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as th ...

, the Alberti retreated to their family fortresses in the Bisenzio Valley: Prato could therefore develop as a

free commune Medieval communes in the European Middle Ages had sworn allegiances of mutual defense (both physical defense and of traditional freedoms) among the citizens of a town or city. These took many forms and varied widely in organization and makeup. C ...

. Within two centuries it reached 15,000 inhabitants, spurred in by the flourishing textile industry and by the presence of the Holy Belt relic. Two new lines of walls had to be built in the mid-12th century, and in the early 14th century. In 1326, in order to counter the expansionism of the

Republic of Florence The Republic of Florence, officially the Florentine Republic ( it, Repubblica Fiorentina, , or ), was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany. The republic originated in 1115, when the Flo ...

, Prato submitted voluntarily under the seigniory of Robert of Anjou, King of Naples. However, on 23 February 1351 Joanna I of Naples sold the city to the Republic of Florence in exchange for 17,500 golden florins. Prato's history therefore followed that of Florence in the following centuries.

Modern age

In 1512, during the War of the Holy League, the city was sacked by Spanish troops assembled by

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or th ...

and the king of Aragón, Ferdinand II, to recover the nearby city of

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

for the

Medici family The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...

. The severity of the sack of Prato led to the surrender of the

Florentine Republic The Republic of Florence, officially the Florentine Republic ( it, Repubblica Fiorentina, , or ), was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany. The republic originated in 1115, when the Flo ...

, and to the restoration of the Medici rule. Historians debate the actual number of people killed during the sack, but contemporary chroniclers asserted between 2000 and 6000 people were slaughtered in the streets. In 1653 Prato obtained the status of city and became seat of a Catholic diocese. The city was embellished in particular during the 18th century. In the 18th Century, with the ascent of Lorraine at the head of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the city was embellished and also experienced a significant cultural development, which was promoted by the grand dukes themselves. The intellectual foresight of Prato and its land in this century finds its maximum expression in the words of Filippo Mazzei, a friend of

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

, which today are reported in the second paragraph of the

Constitution of the United States of America The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nation ...

: ''

All men are created equal The quotation "all men are created equal" is part of the sentence in the U.S. Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronounc ...

''. After the

unification of Italy The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century Political movement, political and social movement that resulted in the Merger (politics), consolidation of List of historic stat ...

in the 19th century, Prato became a primary industrial centre, especially in the textile sector (Italian historian Emanuele Repetti described it as the "Italian

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

"), and it population grew up to 50,000 in 1901 and to 180,000 in 2001. The town experienced significant internal immigration. Previously part of the province of Florence, in 1992 Prato became the capital of the eponymous province.

Climate

Prato has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

which has sunny hot summers and cool damp winters. July is the driest month of the year.

Demographics

Chinese immigration

The city of Prato has the second largest Chinese immigrant population in Italy (after

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

with Italy's largest

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

). The number of legal Chinese residents in Prato on 31 December 2008 was 9,927. In 2011, local authorities estimated the number of Chinese citizens living in Prato to be around 45,000, illegal immigrants included. Most overseas Chinese come from the city of

Wenzhou Wenzhou (pronounced ; Wenzhounese: Yuziou �y33–11 tɕiɤu33–32 ), historically known as Wenchow is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Zhejiang province in the People's Republic of China. Wenzhou is located at the extreme south east o ...

in the province of

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...

, some of them having moved from Chinatown in Paris. The first Chinese people came to Prato in the early 1990s. The majority of Chinese work in 3,500 workshops in the garment industry and ready-to-wear. Chinatown, known as Santo Beijing, is located in the west part of the city, spreading to Porta Pistoiese in the historical centre. The local Chamber of Commerce registered over 3,100 Chinese businesses by September 2008. Most of them are located in an industrial park named Macrolotto di Iolo. Raids on factories employing illegal immigrants in 2010 highlighted problems with the growth of an apparel industry in Prato based on cheap, and sometimes illegal, labor. In spite of all these blames, the local unemployment rate was around 7% in 2013, which was significantly lower than the national average 11%, even after 4,000 enterprises which employed 20,000 people were closed in the past two decades. The president of the Industrial Association of Prato, Andrea Cavicchi, pointed out that the local economic performance was much better than the rest of Italy due to those Chinese textile business. , the Italian and Chinese populations did not socially mix. As of that year, there were 30,000 legal Chinese immigrants, and authorities believed there was a similar number of illegal Chinese immigrants.

Dialect

The

dialect The term dialect (from Latin , , from the Ancient Greek word , 'discourse', from , 'through' and , 'I speak') can refer to either of two distinctly different types of Linguistics, linguistic phenomena: One usage refers to a variety (linguisti ...

from Prato is very similar to that of

, but it has its own peculiarities. The pronunciation of the city name in the dialect was traditionally but now or are more common.

Government

Culture

Corteggio Storico

On 8 September each year, to pay homage to the Sacra Cintola, on the day of the birth of the Madonna, there is the ''Corteggio Storico''. The costume parade takes place along the streets of the center, in which the armies of the city, the Corpo dei Valletti Comunali and other hundreds of people from different cities of Italy take part. The procession ends in Piazza del Duomo, where there is the most solemn event of the day: the exposition of the relic of the Holy Girdle. The program of the festival is enriched by various performances that are held throughout the day in various points of the historic center, such as, for example, the performance of flag-wavers, shooting with bows, the medieval market with re-enactments of ancient crafts and traditions, musical performances,

fireworks Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...

Palla Grossa

The Game of Palla Grossa is back to be played in Prato Piazza Mercatale in September 2012, after almost thirty years of absence. Four districts compete: the Rossi (Santa Trinita), the Gialli (Santo Stefano), the Azzurri (Santa Maria) and the Verdi (San Marco).

Contemporary festival

The contemporanea festival is an international theater festival that takes place in Prato since 1999. The event takes place at the end of May and presents important artists of the national and international contemporary theater scene.

Typical cuisine

The typical Pratese cuisine, as in general that of the whole

, uses "poor" products and ingredients, mainly from the territory. The bread, called ''bozza pratese'', is definitely the basic element of the kitchen. In Prato, as in

it is customary to use bread to prepare croutons with the livers, panzanella and pappa al pomodoro. ;Piatti tipici * Cantucci * Bruttiboni * Sedani ripieni alla pratese * Mortadella di Prato * Ribollita * Torta mantovana * Pesche di Prato * Vermouth di Prato * Zuccherini * Bozza pratese

Music collections

Main sights

Prato is home to many museums and other cultural monuments, including the

frescoes in the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, recently restored. The cathedral has an external pulpit by

and

Michelozzo Michelozzo di Bartolomeo Michelozzi (1396 – 7 October 1472) was an Italian architect and sculptor. Considered one of the great pioneers of architecture during the Renaissance, Michelozzo was a favored Medici architect who was extensively empl ...

, built and still used for the display of the cathedral's famous relic of the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...

, the

Girdle of Thomas The Girdle of Thomas, Virgin's Girdle, Holy Belt, or Sacra Cintola in modern Italian, is a Christian relic in the form of a "girdle" or knotted textile cord used as a belt, that according to a medieval legend was dropped by the Virgin Mary from ...

(''Sacra Cintola'', a cord belt), which had a great reputation in the late Middle Ages and is often shown in Florentine art. Also of interest is the

Teatro Metastasio The Teatro Metastasio is a theatre located in Prato, Italy. Designed by architect Luigi De Cambray Digny, construction of the theatre began in March 1829. The inaugural performance of theatre was of Gioachino Rossini's ''Aureliano in Palmira'' on 8 ...

, the city's main venue for operas and other theatrical productions, which was built in 1829–30.

Palazzi and castles in the historical center

Palazzo Pretorio, Prato, Toscana, Italia 02

; Palazzo Pretorio: The palace was begun in the 13th century in red bricks; late-Gothic style additions were in white stone. The external staircase and clock were added in the 16th century and later. ; Palazzo Datini: Built from 1383 for the merchant Francesco Datini. It was decorated by Florentine artists like

Agnolo Gaddi Agnolo Gaddi (c.1350–1396) was an Italian painter. He was born and died in Florence, and was the son of the painter Taddeo Gaddi,who was himself the major pupil of the Florentine master Giotto. Agnolo was a painter and mosaicist, trained ...

and

Niccolò Gerini Niccolò is an Italian male given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning "Victor of people" or "People's champion". There are several male variations of the name: Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolas, and Nicola. The female equivalent is Nicole. The fe ...

. In 1409 it housed Pope Alexander V and Louis of Anjou. ;

Palazzo degli Alberti Palazzo degli Alberti (local: ''Casone degli Alberti'') is a historical building in the center of Prato, Tuscany, central Italy (2, Via Degli Alberti). It was the seat of Cassa di Risparmio di Prato (the saving bank of Prato, Cariprato, now part ...

: (13th Century), housing a museum with works by

(''

Madonna del Ceppo The ''Madonna del Ceppo'' is a painting by the Italian Renaissance painter Filippo Lippi, commissioned to him between 1452 and 1453. It is housed in the Civic Museum of Prato, Italy (though exposed in the local Museum of Wall Painting, in the Pa ...

''),

Giovanni Bellini Giovanni Bellini (; c. 1430 – 26 November 1516) was an Italian Renaissance painter, probably the best known of the Bellini family of Venetian painters. He was raised in the household of Jacopo Bellini, formerly thought to have been his father ...

(''Crucifix with Jew Cemetery'') and

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...

('' The Crowning with Thorns''). ; Castello dell'Imperatore: Located in the city center, this is the northernmost castle built by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in Italy.

Main churches in the historical center

; ''

Prato Cathedral Prato Cathedral, or Cathedral of Saint Stephen, ( it, Duomo di Prato; Cattedrale di San Stefano) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Prato, Tuscany, Central Italy, from 1954 the seat of the Bishop of Prato, having been previously, from 1653, a cathe ...

'': One of the most ancient churches in the city, already in existence in the 10th century. It was built in several successive stages in the Romanesque style. The church contains a number of notable works of art, in particular fine sculpture. ; ''

Santa Maria delle Carceri Santa Maria delle Carceri is a basilica church, designed by Giuliano da Sangallo, and built in Prato, Tuscany, Italy. It is among the earliest examples of a Greek cross plan for a complete church in Renaissance architecture. History Accordin ...

'': Commissioned by

Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492) was an Italian statesman, banker, ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic and the most powerful and enthusiastic patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Also known as Lorenzo ...

Giuliano da Sangallo Giuliano da Sangallo (c. 1445 – 1516) was an Italian sculptor, architect and military engineer active during the Italian Renaissance. He is known primarily for being the favored architect of Lorenzo de' Medici, his patron. In this role, Giulia ...

in 1484. It is on a Greek cross plan, inspired by

Brunelleschi Filippo Brunelleschi ( , , also known as Pippo; 1377 – 15 April 1446), considered to be a founding father of Renaissance architecture, was an Italian architect, designer, and sculptor, and is now recognized to be the first modern engineer, p ...

's Pazzi Chapel. Works lasted for some twenty years. The interior is run by a bichromatic maiolica frieze by

Luca della Robbia Luca della Robbia (, also , ; 1399/1400–1482) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor from Florence. Della Robbia is noted for his colorful, Tin-glazed pottery, tin-glazed terracotta statuary, a technique which he invented and passed on to his ne ...

, also author of four '' tondos'' depicting the four Evangelists in the cupola. The external façade is unfinished, only the western part being completed in the 19th century according to Sangallo's design. ; '' Sant'Agostino'': built from 1440 over an existing edifice from 1271. It has a simple façade with a

rose window Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in Gothic cathedrals and churches. The windows are divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery. The term ''rose window'' w ...

and a bell tower with pyramidal top. The interior is on the basilica plan, with a nave and two aisles divided by brickwork columns having "waterleave" capitals (c. 1410). The apse chapels date to the late 14th century. The interior is home to canvasses by

Giovanni Battista Naldini Giovanni Battista Naldini (1535–1591) was an Italian painter in a late-Mannerist style, active in Florence and Rome. Biography His first apprenticeship (1549–1557) was in the studio of Jacopo Pontormo. He went from Rome for a number of mon ...

, Lorenzo Lippi,

l'Empoli image:San Lorenzo,L'Empoli, il Martirio di San Sebastiano.JPG, 250px, ''Martyrdom of St. Sebastian'', San Lorenzo di Firenze, San Lorenzo, Florence Jacopo da Empoli (30 April 1551 – 30 September 1640) was an Italian Florentine Reformist paint ...

Giovanni Bizzelli Giovanni Bizzelli (1556 – around 1 August 1607 or 1612) was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist period. He was a pupil of Alessandro Allori. He afterwards went to Rome. On his return to Florence he helped Antonio Tempesta in the decoration ...

and others, as well as 14th-century frescoes. The cloister dates to the 16th century. ;'' San Domenico'': The interior altars house a crucifix of the 14th century and an Annunciation by

Matteo Rosselli Matteo Rosselli (10 August 1578 – 18 January 1650) was an Italian painter of the late Florentine Counter- Mannerism and early Baroque. He is best known however for his highly populated grand-manner historical paintings. Biography He first app ...

(1578–1650). The cloister of the adjacent convent was built in 1478–80. An adjacent museum has works of wall frescoes. ;'' San Francesco'': It houses a funerary monument of Geminiano Inghirami (died 1460), and the frescoes by

in the wonderful Cappella Migliorati. ; ''

San Fabiano San Fabiano Castle ( it, Castello San Fabiano) is a 13th-century castle and wine producing farm estate in Monteroni d'Arbia, Siena, Italy, built by King Charles of Anjou. The church of San Fabiano on the estate dates from the year 867 and is dedi ...

'': Already existing in 1082. It houses precious traces of a pavement mosaic dating from the 9th–11th centuries. Also notable is the 15th-century bell tower. ; '' Minor Basilica of Santi Vicenzo e Caterina de' Ricci'': Adjacent to the late-Baroque monastery of ''San Vicenzo''. The church was decorated for the canonization of the Saint

Catherine of Ricci Catherine de' Ricci ( it, Caterina de' Ricci) (23 April 1522 – 2 February 1590), was an Italian Dominican Tertiary sister. She is believed to have had miraculous visions and corporeal encounters with Jesus, both with the infant Jesus and with ...

, who was associated with the monastery and is buried in the church.

Main museums

; Palazzo Pretorio: It was the old city hall located town center, standing in front of the current Palazzo Comunale. It now accommodates the Civic Museum of Prato, which was reopened in September 2013. ; Prato Cathedral Museum: It was founded in 1967 in a few rooms of the Bishop's residence and in 1976 grew to include items from both the Cathedral of Saint Stephen and the diocesan territory. Raggi di luce riflessi

;

Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci (Centre for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci) is a contemporary art centre sited in Viale della Repubblica in Prato, Tuscany, Italy. The centre is devoted to exhibiting art produced during the past few decad ...

: Devoted to the contemporary arts of the last three decades. The complex composes the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Centre of Information and Documentation, including the visual arts, and an education department. ; Prato textile museum: The museum and library is an Anchor point on the

European Route of Industrial Heritage The European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) is a tourist route of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe. This is a tourism industry information initiative to present a network of industrial heritage sites across Europe. The a ...

. ;

Galleria di Palazzo degli Alberti Palazzo degli Alberti (local: ''Casone degli Alberti'') is a historical building in the center of Prato, Tuscany, central Italy (2, Via Degli Alberti). It was the seat of Cassa di Risparmio di Prato (the saving bank of Prato, Cariprato, now part ...

: Home to the art gallery of the local bank (former Cassa di Risparmio di Prato). Works of the collection include '' The Crowning with Thorns'', by

(c. 1604). ; Museo della Deportazione: Dedicated to the history of Fascism's occurrence and rise to power in Italy.

Sport

* Rugby Club I Cavalieri Prato *

A.C. Prato Associazione Calcio Prato is an Italian association football club, based in Prato, Tuscany. Prato currently plays in Serie D/E, having last been in Serie B in 1964. History The club was founded in 1908. In season 2010–11 the team played i ...

Transportation

Train

The city of Prato is crossed by two railway lines: the Viareggio-Florence Railroad and the Bologna-Florence Railways. The first is a regional line that connects it with

and western Tuscany, while the second is part of the Milan-Naples ridge and is one of the most important Italian railway lines. Prato is therefore served by some long-distance trains. There are three railway stations in the city: * ''Prato Porta al Serraglio'' railway station is situated in the historical center of the town and connects to

in about 25 minutes by the

Viareggio–Florence railway The Viareggio–Florence railway (Italian language, Italian: ''Ferrovia Viareggio-Firenze'') is a line built between 1848 and 1890 connecting the Tuscany, Tuscan cities of Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Lucca and Viareggio. The first section from Flore ...

. *

Prato Centrale railway station Prato Centrale railway station ( it, Stazione di Prato Centrale) is the main station serving the city and ''comune'' of Prato, in the region of Tuscany, central Italy. Opened in 1862, it forms part of both the Bologna–Florence railway and the ...

was opened in 1862 and is the largest station in Prato. It is part of

Bologna–Florence railway The Bologna–Florence railway is one of the major links in the Italian rail network, connecting the railways of the Po Valley with the railways of Tuscany and central Italy under the Apennines. It is also known as the Bologna–Florence diretti ...

and

. * Prato Borgonuovo Station

Highways

* Motorway A11 (Firenze-Mare): Prato is served by A11 motorway through two toll stations: ''Prato Est'' and ''Prato Ovest''. * Motorway A1 (Milano-Napoli): Prato is served by A1 motorway through one toll station: ''Calenzano''.

Buses

Consorzio Autotrasporti Pratese, also known CAP Autolinee, was a Società consortile a responsabilità limitata (Scarl) that operated since 2005 the local public transport in Prato and in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

and partly in that of

Pistoia Pistoia (, is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of a province of the same name, located about west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. It is a typi ...

and

. The sole partner is Cap Cooperativa, whose members are also workers who cover the positions of travelling driving personnel. There are a total of 11 active routes, including five LAMs (LAM Blu, LAM Rossa, LAM Arancio, LAM Viola, LAM-MT) that connect the city center, the surrounding areas and the suburbs with frequencies ranging from seven to fifteen minutes. CAP Autolinee was part of ONE Scarl the consortium holder of the two-year (2018-2019) contract for the management of the TPL throughout the Region. Since 1 November 2021 the public local transport is managed by

Autolinee Toscane Autolinee Toscane S.p.A. (also known as AT) is a private Italian company, wholly owned by RATP Dev, active in the local public transport sector. It manages several urban and suburban bus lines in Tuscany for a total of 1.7 million kilometres trav ...

Education

The main points of reference are the University Campus of Prato (a branch of the Università degli Studi di Firenze) and the Prato Research Foundation which also includes the Istituto Geofisico Toscano, in addition to the creation of a Research Center financed by local authorities and the Chamber of Commerce.

Italian Universities

From the first nineties the city is home to an important university center with over 2000 registered students, called "University Campus of Prato", born from the collaboration between the University of Florence and a consortium company born from the collaboration between local authorities (first of all the Municipality of Prato) and various private subjects, the PIN Scrl, owner of the building (formerly the prestigious Istituto T. Buzzi and renovated for the occasion) which houses the polo. Some courses of study are underway at the faculty of

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

, letters and philosophy, engineering, medicine and

surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

and

political sciences Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

of the Florentine university.

Foreign Universities

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

, Australia has an office in Palazzo Vai that opened in September 2001. * University of New Haven, US opened a satellite campus in the fall of 2012. *

Beacon College Beacon College is a private college in Leesburg, Florida. It was founded in 1989 and designed with curriculum and support services to serve students with dyslexia, ADHD, or other specific learning disabilities. Beacon College offers Assoc ...

, US began a Prato study abroad program the fall of 2017.

High schools

* Cosimo Bellini Institutes * Conservatory of San Niccolò * Cicognini, State National Boarding School * Liceo Scientifico / Linguistico Statale "Carlo Livi" * Liceo Scientifico / Linguistico Statale "Niccolò Copernico" * Liceo Artistico Statale " Umberto Brunelleschi" * "F. Cicognini" Classical High School * Liceo Socio Psycho-pedagogical and Social Sciences " Gianni Rodari" * State Institute of Higher Education "A. Gramsci – J.M. Keynes" * Tullio Buzzi State Technical Industrial Institute * Paolo Dagomari State Technical Commercial Institute * Istituto Tecnico Agrario e Professionale Alberghiero di Stato " Francesco Datini" * State Professional Institute for Industry and Crafts

Notable people

Nicolò Albertini Nicolò Albertini, O.P. (c. 1250 – 27 April 1321), was an Italian Dominican friar, statesman, and cardinal. Early life Albertini was born about 1250 in the city of Prato, then in the County of Prato, part of the Holy Roman Empire, to parents ...

, 13th-century cardinal * Lorenzo Bartolini, sculptor * Sem Benelli, writer * Roberto Benigni, actor and director *

Francesca Bertini Francesca Bertini (born Elena Seracini Vitiello; 5 January 1892 – 13 October 1985) was an Italian silent film actress. She was one of the most successful silent film stars in the first quarter of the twentieth-century. Biography Born in Pra ...

, actress *

Antonio Brunelli Antonio Brunelli (20 December 1577 in Pisa – 19 November 1630 in Pisa) was an Italian composer and theorist of the early Baroque music, Baroque period. He was a student of Giovanni Maria Nanino and served as the organist at San Miniato in T ...

, composer *

Clara Calamai Clara Calamai (7 September 1909 – 21 September 1998) was an Italian actress. She was one of the most famous and popular Italian actresses in the 1930s and 1940s, sharing the limelight with actresses such as Alida Valli, Valentina Cortese, an ...

, actress *

Ferdinando Castagnoli Ferdinando Castagnoli (born in Prato June 18, 1917; died in Marina di Pietrasanta July 28, 1988) was a Roman topographer who taught at the University of Rome. Among Castagnoli's fieldwork accomplishments was the amazing discovery of the Latin sanc ...

, archaeologist * Jury Chechi, gymnast, Olympic gold medalist * Compagnetto da Prato, medieval poet *

Enrico Coveri Enrico Coveri (26 February 1952 – 8 December 1990) was an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur from Prato, Italy. Career A former model and stage designer, he founded the eponymous fashion house in Florence and was acclaimed for his cre ...

, fashion designer and entrepreneur *

Lorenzo Dalla Porta Lorenzo Dalla Porta (born 22 June 1997) is an Italian motorcycle racer. He currently competes in the Moto2. He was the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Champion in 2016 and the CIV 125 GP champion in 2012 . And in 2019 he won the Moto3 World Champions ...

, motorcycle racer * Francesco Datini, 14th-century merchant *

Alessandro Diamanti Alessandro Diamanti (; born 2 May 1983) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for A-League club Western United. At club level, he has previously played for Prato, Empoli, Fucecchio, Fiorentina, AlbinoLeffe, West Ham Uni ...

, soccer player * Ignazio Fresu, sculptor *

Emilia Goggi Emilia Goggi, also known as Emilia Goggi-Marcovaldi, (10 October 1817 – 29 August 1857) was an Italian operatic mezzo-soprano who sang in the leading opera houses of Italy as well as in Spain. In 1853 she created the role of Azucena in the worl ...

, opera singer *

Filippino Lippi Filippino Lippi (April 1457 – 18 April 1504) was an Italian painter working in Florence, Italy during the later years of the Early Renaissance and first few years of the High Renaissance. Biography Filippino Lippi was born in Prato, Tusc ...

, 15th-century painter * Fiorenzo Magni, cyclist * Curzio Malaparte, writer * Filippo Mazzei, politician * Giovanni Nesi, pianist *

Francesco Nuti Francesco Nuti (born 17 May 1955) is an Italian actor, film director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Prato, Nuti began his professional career as an actor in the late 1970s, when he formed the cabaret group ''Giancattivi'' together with ...

, actor *

Iva Pacetti Iva Pacetti (13 December 1898, Prato - 19 January 1981, Milan) was an Italian operatic dramatic soprano who had an active international career from 1920 to 1947. Trained in Florence and Milan, she made her professional opera debut in her native cit ...

, lyric singer(soprano) * Gianni Pedrizzetti, engineer and professor *

Rachele Risaliti Rachele Risaliti (born in Prato on 2 February 1995) is a model and beauty pageant titleholder of the Miss Italia 2016. She won the crown on 10 September 2015. Biography Born in Prato (Tuscany), she participated in August 2016 ''Miss Toscana'', w ...

, Miss Italia 2016 * Paolo Rossi, soccer player * Christian Vieri, soccer player *

Pamela Villoresi Maria Pamela Villoresi (born 1 January 1957) is an Italian theatre, cinema and television actress. She has performed in more than 100 theatrical productions and in more than 30 films. Life and career The daughter of a cloth merchant of Prato ...

, actress *

Domenico Zipoli Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726) was a composer from the Baroque period. He worked and died in Córdoba, Argentina, Córdoba, in the Viceroyalty of Peru, Spanish Empire, (presently in Argentina). He became a Jesuit in order to work in the Reduction ...

, composer

Twin towns – sister cities

Prato is twinned with: * Albemarle County, United States (1977) *

Bir Lehlou Bir Lehlou (also transliterated ''Bir Lahlou'', ''Bir Lehlu'' Arabic: بئر الحلو) is an oasis town in north-eastern Western Sahara, 236 km from Smara, near the Mauritanian border and east of the border wall, in Polisario Front-held terr ...

, Western Sahara (1985) * Changzhou, China (1987) * Ebensee am Traunsee, Austria (1987) *

Nam Dinh Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...

, Vietnam (1975) *

Roubaix Roubaix ( or ; nl, Robaais; vls, Roboais) is a city in northern France, located in the Lille metropolitan area on the Belgian border. It is a historically mono-industrial commune in the Nord department, which grew rapidly in the 19th century ...

, France (1981) *

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its a ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1997) *

Wangen im Allgäu Wangen im Allgäu ( Low Alemannic: ''Wãnge'') is a historic city in southeast Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It lies north-east of Lake Constance in the Westallgäu. It is the second-largest city (Population: 26,927 in 2020) in the Ravensburg dist ...

, Germany (1988)

References

Bibliography

External links

Prato Turismo

City of Prato

Exhibition ''Da Donatello a Lippi. Officina Pratese''
at Museo Civico di Palazzo Pretorio in Prato (September 2013 – January 2014)
Information about Prato, Free Time Guide on Prato

Complete Image galleries of the town, the medieval historic centre, churches and the Chinese quarter

– slideshow by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''
Prato
on

Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...

{{Authority control 10th-century establishments in Italy Cities and towns in Tuscany Populated places established in the 10th century

History

Ancient times

Middle Ages

Modern age

Climate

Demographics

Chinese immigration

Dialect

Government

Culture

Corteggio Storico

Palla Grossa

Contemporary festival

Typical cuisine

Music collections

Main sights

Palazzi and castles in the historical center

Main churches in the historical center

Main museums

Sport

Transportation

Train

Highways

Buses

Education

Italian Universities

Foreign Universities

High schools

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

See also

References

Bibliography

External links