Prato Cathedral
Duomo di Prato (Cattedrale di Santo Stefano)
The green-and-white striped Prato Cathedral. On one corner stands Donatello's Pulpit of the Holy Girdle, and inside are frescoes by Filippo Lippi.
The Cathedral of St Stephen is the landmark of Prato's old town. Its green-and-white striped façade combines Romanesque and Gothic styles. At one corner projects an exterior pulpit designed by Donatello and Michelozzo, from which the legendary Holy Girdle of the Virgin is displayed to the public several times a year (the original relief is kept in the nearby cathedral museum). The main chapel has frescoes by Filippo Lippi depicting the lives of St Stephen and St John the Baptist, the most famous being Salome's Dance. The cathedral is free to enter, but the frescoes in the main chapel require a ticket. From Florence, the train takes about 25 minutes, and you can also visit Prato Castle and the Textile Museum on the same trip.
Opening hours
About 07:30–19:00 (may close at midday; fresco area hours set separately)
Nearby sights
- Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano
- Villa La Petraia
- Barberino Designer Outlet
- Santa Maria del Carmine (Brancacci Chapel)
- Santa Maria Novella
- Pistoia Cathedral
- Mercato Centrale
- Medici Chapels & Basilica of San Lorenzo