Cathedral of Prato

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the Duomo with the statue of Giuseppe Mazzoni.

The pulpit of Donatello and Michelozzo.

The Cathedral of Prato (Italian: Duomo di Prato, entitled to St. Stephen, is the main church of Prato, Tuscany, central Italy.

[edit] History

The Cathedral is one of the most ancient churches in the city, being mentioned as early as the 10th century as the Pieve of Santo Stefano, located in the Borgo al Cornio, the first settlement in Prato.

The current structure dates from the 12th century (the sides and the bell tower, apart the last floor built in 1356 remaining). During the 14th century, with the arrival of the relics of Sacra Cintola (the Holy Virgin's Belt), the edifice was enlarged with the addition of a transept (probably designed by Giovanni Pisano) and the Cintola Chapel. The latter was frescoed by Agnolo Gaddi, one of the most important member of Giotto's school, and houses a notable statue of Madonna with Child by Giovanni Pisano. The edifices in front of the façade were also demolished for the occasion, in order to create a large square.

A new façade was added in the early 15th century over the old one. In the space between the two was created a corridor leading to the external pulpit, built by Michelozzo and decorated by Donatello between 1428 and 1438. The lunette over the main gate has a ceramic glaze by Andrea della Robbia depicting the Madonna with Saints Stephen and John.

In the same century were also frescoed the transept chapels. In the main chapel Filippo Lippi and Fra Diamante painted the Histories of St. Stephen and St. John, while in the Cappella dell'Assunta ("Assumption Chapel") Andrea di Giusto and a young Paolo Uccello painted the Histories of the Virgin and St. Stephen.

The interior also houses: a pulpit by Mino da Fiesole and Antonio Rossellino, the internal terrace (sometimes also called a pulpit) by Maso di Bartolomeo, a wooden crucifix by Giovanni Pisano, the statue of Madonna dell'Ulivo by the brothers Da Maiano, a wooden Deposition of Christ (12th century), the Funerary Monument of Tommaso Inghirami by Bernardo Rossellino and a Madonna della Cintola by Davide and Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio.