West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Il giorno 24 Novembre 2015 un gruppo di studenti
Statunitensi provenienti dalla cittadina di Romney,
West Virginia, è venuto in visita a Prato e
all' Istituto Datini.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Gli studenti e le due insegnanti provengono dalla
scuola superiore
Hampshire High School
https://wv-hampshirecountyschools.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=67
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Un gruppo di studenti delle classi 4A e 4B
Accoglienza Turistica ha
lavorato, guidato dalla Prof.ssa Bertini, e con la
consulenza del Prof. Battiato, alla preparazione di un
itinerario turistico all'interno della città di Prato.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Gli studenti hanno effettuato la
ricerca di materiali, la
traduzione in Lingua Inglese e la
presentazione degli stessi al gruppo degli studenti
americani durante la loro visita in città.
Di seguito possiamo leggere alcuni dei loro lavori.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Piazza Delle Carceri e Basilica di Santa Maria Delle Carceri
This square guests a number of really popular pubs and restaurants and it takes its name from the Basilica
with the same name.Further to the legend, this building was made after a vision a kid had when, on July
1484, he saw the Madonna (Virgin Mary) moving on the walls of the Ancient Public Jails. But let's talk
about the Church.
Santa Maria delle Carceri is a jewel of the Renaissance and it is the mark of Lorenzo de' Medici on the city.If
Florence is, in fact, the city of the Renaissance, certainly in Prato, which in 1351 had become a Florence
territory, there are some examples of architecture, art and even agricultural areas of this flourishing period.
It was in fact the patron, Prince Lorenzo the Magnificent, who commissioned his trusted architect Giuliano da
San Gallo, (author of Villa Ambra in Poggio a Caiano) the creation of this church, among others very small
inside, but no less interesting.
Santa Maria delle Carceri, built between 1486 and 1508, is perfectly in line with the Renaissance standards:
search of proportions and geometric lines, and terracotta Della Robbia style dome by Brunelleschi, but
there is a fundamental news.The Church of Santa Maria delle Carceri is in fact located on the side of the
Emperor's Castle, a corner of the city that, at the time of its construction, was to be disposed of. From here,
there was the idea of a plant which was quite atypical like a Greek cross of San Marco in Venice, to
express a continuity with the castle of Frederick and put the two facilities in prominence, as a single block.
Wherever you are in the church of Santa Maria delle Carceri you will be astonished by your centrality in the
context; were it not for the presence of the altar, we could hardly observe in one direction and the look
could get lost in the geometry of shapes and decorations.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
THE TOWN HALL (Palazzo Comunale)
The Town Hall of Prato is located in the Town Square, overlooking the Praetorian Palace. It was built as the
seat of the Priors, connecting different buildings. The present facade, with a large Medici coat of arms on
the corner (1550), was standardized in 1791. Currently it houses the Town Hall.
Artwork
The hall of the City Council houses two frescoes of the fourteenth century, representing an Allegory of Justice
and Majesty (namely a Madonna and Child Enthroned). Inside the building, the so-called Picture Gallery,
are also preserved several portraits of the Podestà of Prato and the Grand Duke of Tuscany from the
Civic Museum.
THE TOWN SQUARE (Piazza del Comune)
The Town Square was built at the end of the thirteenth century, at the intersection of two main roads of the
city. It was once surrounded by wooden arcades and was used as a meat market, oil and grain, as well
as a place of public meetings and demonstrations.
The Fountain of Bacchus was made of bronze between 1659 and 1665 by Ferdinando Tacca, on the
occasion of the recognition of the status of the city of Prato. The fountain consists of a statue of Bacchus
(now counted among the symbols of the city) splashing in a tub shaped shell and then in a larger stone
octagonal corner with small basins (rebuilt in 1789).
The original copy of the young Bacchus is kept inside the Town Hall
In front of the Town Hall you can see the statue in white Carrara marble, dedicated to Francesco Datini.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
FRANCESCO DATINI
What was there behind the rich merchant of Prato? What kind of man was Francesco Datini? From
private correspondence, it appears a character strikingly contemporary, plagued by our own anxieties
and fears, he remains determined to plan for the future, not at all fatalistic and perpetually struggling to
combine business and family .
Excellent merchant, but never happy.Lover of the land, he built himself a villa-farm (later switched to the
convent and today better known as Villa del Palco), complete with cattle, olive trees, vineyards.
Datini became famous also for the archive of letters and records where they were found checks and
exchange bills.
He was born in Prato around 1335 from a modest family and he became the symbol of Prato enterprise, in
fact he was seen as a benefactor.
More and more rich and respected, Datini engaged in trade of all kinds of merchandise, from wheat to wool,
clothes and precious objects.
In Prato, Datini founded a woolen mill and a dyeing business.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
Gli studenti Americani si sono mostrati molto
interessati alle spiegazioni relative ai principali
monumenti della città, e gli studenti del Datini hanno
fatto del loro meglio per esprimersi correttamente in
lingua inglese.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
La mattina si è conclusa con un pranzo offerto
dall'Istituto Datini.
Gli studenti Italiani e Americani hanno avuto ulteriore
occasione di socializzare.
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato
West Virginia Students' Visit to Prato