|
|
 |
| |
|
Home > Travel Italy > Italy Destinations > Prato
Prato
Italy, officially the Italian Republic or Repubblica Italiana, is a Southern European country comprising of the Po River valley, the Italian Peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. It is shaped like a boot and for this reason Italians commonly call it lo Stivale, the boot or, due to its prevalent peninsular geographical nature, la Penisola, the Peninsula.
Prato is a city in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The total population of the city as of January 2, 2006 is 183,864. The density of the city is 1,757 per square kilometer. Historically, the economy of Prato has been based upon the textile industry. The renowned Datini archives are a significant archive of early medieval documents produced years between 1363 and 1410. The Textile Museum also reflects this history. Prato is also a centre of the slow food movement, with many other local specialities, including cantucci, a type of biscotti, sold by local speciality bakers.
Prato is home to with many museums and other cultural monuments, including the Filippo Lippi frescoes in the Cathedral of St. Stephano, currently under restoration. The Cathedral has an external pulpit by Donatello. Pretorio was built from the 13th century in red bricks. The part in white stone is from late-Gothic era. In the 16th century an external staircase and a watch were added. A further major attraction of the city is the Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci a museum and education centre concerned with contemporary arts.
Prato is also the home of the Monash University Centre. The Centreis now the largest Australian academic institution of its kind in Europe, providing a strong link between Australian scholars, students and their European counterparts, as well as providing English-language training. The centre hosts many international conferences in its heritage-listed building.
Prato is also known as the town of best geographical environment and has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and can also enjoy its natural beauty concealed by the beautiful landscapes.
Back to Italy Destinations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|