Prato Cathedral

The Cathedral of Prato, St.. Consecrated Stephen, is the cathedral of the diocese of Prato and holds the title basilica minor since 1996. He stands at the Piazza del Duomo in Prato.

• 3.1 Capella del transetto
• 3.2 Capella della Sacred Belt
• 3.3 organ

History

The cathedral is one of the oldest churches in the city. It is first mentioned in the 10th century, most likely but it was built in the 5th century.

Middle of the 12th century, began to restore the parish church and expand. From that time, the Romanesque cloister, which was partially changed in the 15th century.

At the beginning of the 13th century, probably after a design by Giudetto da Como, began the construction of the bell tower, which was completed in 1356/57.

1386 the current facade of Lorenzo di Filippo was created. As building materials you used the white alberese marble and green Serpentine marble. Work on the facade extended to the middle of the next century. From the same period are also the large portal to the bezel with a glazed terracotta by Andrea Della Robbia high relief, the Capella della Sacred Belt and the external pulpit by Donatello.

Appearance

Pulpit by Donatello

In 1428 Donatello and Michelozzo di Bartolomeo were entrusted with the pulpit, which was intended to show on the feast of the people of the Sacred Belt ( Belt of the Mother of God ). That is why the special position at the outer corner of the church was chosen so that the pulpit from two sides is visible.

The pulpit rests on a pillar with an ornate Bronzekapitell by Michelozzo. The capital bears the classic angel figure who turns to the overlying marble frame with concentric circles.

The balustrade of white marble with a relief frieze decorated with pilasters and divided into 7 images. Inside are dancing angels, and by the mosaic background gives the impression of movement.

Portal

The large portal with two colored layers was 1412-13 to a design by Giovanni di Niccolò di Piero Ambrogio and Lamberti. It concludes with a pointed arch bar, which is a 1489 created by Andrea Della Robbia bezel with high relief in terracotta and white- blue glazing Madonna, il bambino is ei santi Stefano e Lorenzo.

Affairs

The three-nave interior with final apse is divided by six arches on both sides. The transept is attributed to Giovanni Pisano, while the goblet-shaped pulpit da Fiesole and Antonio Rosselino was created in the 15th century by Mino. Inside, the cathedral dominates the two-tone of alberese and Serpentino layers of columns and arches. The floor of the 16th century consisting of hexagons and diamonds red marble from Monsummano.

The big wide space of the transept, which is covered by five large cross vaults with architraves, takes in relation to the structure of the motif of the two colored layers, with the four very high octagonal pilasters that support the large pointed arches to divide the vault of the apse chapels, be relieved.

Capella del transetto

In the middle of the Capella del transetto is an altar of white marble and laminated marble tops. It was created in the 17th century by the Fratelli Cennini. In projecting a crucifix made ​​of bronze by Ferdinando Tacca. The chapel is equipped with frescoes, in collaboration with Fra ' Diamante da Terra Nuova were made by Filippo Lippi and his workshop. The windows of the chapel were probably made ​​from designs by Filippo Lippi.

Capella della Sacred Belt

The Capella della Sacred Belt was created by Lorenzo di Filippo 1386-1390 as storage and place of cult for the Marian relic Holy Belt. Today, the chapel is in the first part of the left aisle.

The interior of the chapel is decorated with frescoes by Agnolo Gaddi. Shown are the life of the Mother of God and in particular episodes of events for the Holy Belt, which adorn the entire eastern wall. In the chapel is a statue of the Madonna con Bambino of white marble, it probably dates from the early 14th century and was intended for a small choir in the Pieve. It is the work of Giovanni Pisano. The chapel is closed in both directions to the church with a fine bronze mesh, a Renaissance masterpiece by Maso di Bartolomeo.

Organ

The organ was built in the 1960s by the organ builder Fratelli Ruffatti (Padua). The instrument has 52 registers on three manuals and pedal. The works are distributed to the church: The choir organ (organo corale ) with ten stops on one manual and pedal located at ground level in the transept. It is not visible. Grand'Organo, espressivo and pedals are housed in two identical organ enclosures that are located in the transept on opposite galleries. The tracker action are electric.