| Prato, Italy
is located near Florence, in the heart of the Tuscany region. Prato
has been long overlooked simply because of its close proximity to Florence.
Many tourists simply do not know what Prato has to offer. First,
Prato is one of the most friendly city in the Tuscan region, and
in all of Italy. Natives to Prato spend time enjoying the lively
bars and festivals located within the city, and Prato also holds
what is considered to be the best theater in Tuscany.
Prato has many fine
museums and private art galleries containing collections of works by 13th
and 15th century artists. The Palazzo Vescovile houses a beautiful collection
of paintings from the 13th to the 19th century. The Castello dell`Imperatore
holds a wonderful example of Swabian architecture, and the Churches of
S. Francesco and S. Domenico hold works of great artists, such as Agnolo
Gaddi and Donatello.
Pratos textile
industry has been an important factor for the city since the Middle
Ages, and was the foundation for the wealth of medieval Pratese capitalists,
such as Francesco Datini, the famous merchant of Prato. The Museo
del Tessuto tells the history of Pratos textile industry
and is home to over 5000 samples of textiles dating back to the 5th century.
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