Restoration of the facade of Prato Cathedral ends

After eight months of work, the restoration of the facade of Prato Cathedral, which began last December and was necessary due to the fall of some stone fragments, is over. The work was carried out by Prato-based Piacenti spa, a leading company in the sector, which consolidated the structure and proceeded with a general cleaning. The project was carried out by Studio Comes, under the supervision of the Superintendence. The client is the Cathedral Chapter in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Office of the Diocese of Prato.

For the facade of Prato Cathedral, this is the first major restoration since 1984. The operations involved the restoration of all the stone surfaces, in green marble from Prato, pietra serena and white alberese, which had (particularly the marble and stone parts) several points of deterioration, including detachments and falling material. For the surfaces, restorers intervened with pre-consolidation, cleaning, consolidation and integration of the gaps. The white Alberese areas, present in the palombino variant with the characteristic rust coloring, were also restored and cleaned. In addition, the statues on the top, representing St. Anne with the Madonna child, St. Joachim, the Virgin Mary, and St. Stephen, were restored.

Restoration now continues on the side facade: scaffolding will be removed in the coming days to allow the cathedral to be left free for September initiatives. Following that, work on the side facade will be completed and work will begin on the apse, transept and bell tower, with the goal of finishing all work by December. For the time being, the city is enjoying the facade of the cathedral refurbished just in time for the traditional display of the Sacred Girdle, scheduled as always on Aug. 15 (Assumption Day) and Sept. 8 (the day of the Nativity of Mary, known in Prato as “Our Lady of the Fair” and the city’s most important religious feast).

“This was a complex intervention,” explained the technical director of the works, architect Francesco Risaliti. “The facade is the part that had the biggest problems. A general cleaning was done of all the stone parts, which are five: alberese, palombino, verde di Prato, sandstone and the white marble. In addition to cleaning, consolidation works were carried out and the corbels of the hanging arches of the facade, which were the ones with the biggest structural problems, were replaced. There was a risk that even large pieces of stone could fall, endangering the safety of those in the churchyard.”

To celebrate the end of the work, a concert will be given by the Opera del Duomo di Prato on the evening of Friday, September 9, at 9 p.m. On the cathedral forecourt, free of scaffolding, the Tuscan Youth Orchestra conducted by maestro Lorenzo Biagi, soprano Francesca Mazzara and mezzo-soprano Magdalena Urbanowicz will perform. The artistic direction of the event is by the Prato-based Mettiamoci all’Opera Association, chaired by Marco Sizzi. The program includes a first part of the concert dedicated to sacred music with Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, while the second part will be operatic with arias, duets and overtures from the famous pieces of opera music. Admission to the concert is free while seats last, but reservations are recommended. This can be done by emailing the diocesan Curia (curia@diocesiprato.it) or the Mettiamoci all’Opera Association (presidente@mettiamociallopera.it). As mentioned, there will be a free offering fundraiser during the evening to support the cathedral restoration project.

“With this evening we will have the opportunity not only to listen, but also to see up close the facade of the new fully restored,” says the president of the Opera del Duomo di Prato, Francesco Giambattista Nardone, “the initiative was organized in a short time, but we hope that the citizenship will respond, showing their generosity. As an Opera, we need the closeness of the people of Prato in order to be able to best guard and protect the city’s most important monument.”

Pictured: scaffolding in front of the facade of the Duomo. Photo Diocese of Prato

Restoration of the facade of Prato Cathedral ends

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