Prato

Prato (prä'tō) [key]or Prato in Toscana (ēn tōskä'nä) [key], city (1991 pop. 165,707), Tuscany, central Italy. It is a major textile-making center, known for its wool industry since the 13th cent. Weaving machinery, leather goods, and cement are also produced. Prato was an Etruscan settlement. It came under Florence in the 14th cent. Among the city's noteworthy structures are the cathedral (12th–15th cent.), which has frescoes by Filippo Lippi and works by Donatello, Giovanni Pisano, and Andrea della Robbia; the Church of Santa Maria delle Carceri, designed by Giuliano da Sangallo; and a 13th-century town hall and fortress.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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