Prato is the city of contemporary art thanks to the Pecci Centre, a regional center for the coordination and development of contemporary culture, and a significant presence in the urban fabric of numerous works of art. The itinerary unfolds along an urban route that starts from the Pecci Center (easily accessible for those coming from outside Prato from the A11 motorway – exit Prato EST) and extends to the city center in "continuity" with the great historical-artistic tradition of Tuscany. The building in which the Pecci Center is located is an architectural work of great value. The original site, which opened in 1988, was designed by the architect Italo Gamberini.
The need to expand the exhibition space led the municipality and the region to entrust the architect Maurice Nio with the construction of a new building that harmoniously integrates with the old one. The current seat is overlooking a new public square in which the main entrance of the Center opens, whose visit requires at least 2 hours.

In the garden of the Center it is possible to admire the important work:
Diego Esposito, Longitude - Latitude: 43 ° 51 '678' 'N - 11 ° 6' 570 '' W, 2001
Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius - The Broken Column (1988) by Anne and Patrick Poirier

From Viale della Repubblica to the historic center, you will find:
Eliseo Mattiacci, Reflection of the cosmic order, 1995-1996
Continuing in the same direction:
Henry Moore, Square Form with Cut, 1969-1971 (Piazza San Marco)
Giò Pomodoro, Isla Negra, to Pablo Neruda, 1975-1976 (Via Marx)
Ben Jakober and Yannik Vu, Mazzocchio, 1993-1994 (Via Pomeria)

A key station of the urban art trail is the Campolmi complex where, in the courtyard of the Lazzerini Library, we find:
Bizhan Bassiri, The Beast, 1994
Hossein Golba, Vertebral Column of Life, 2001
Loris Cecchini, Waterbones. Climbing in transition state, 2018

Near the Emperor's Castle a work of light visible only after sunset:
Fabrizio Corneli, the Great Dreamer, 2014 (Piazza S. Maria in Castello)

From the Castle the itinerary continues up to Piazza del Comune and Piazza Duomo; under the staircase of Palazzo Pretorio stands the imposing bronze
Jacques Lipchitz, Prometheus Strangling the Vulture, 1944/1953

Inside the Cathedral of Santo Stefano we can admire:
Emilio Greco, Dormitio Virginis, 1983 (Chapel of the Sacred Belt); Robert Morris, Altar 2000-2001; Robert Morris, Ambone 2000-2001 (Cathedral, high altar); Robert Morris, Candelabrum, 2000-2001 (Cathedral, high altar); Robert Morris, Four for Donatello, 2001 (Cloister of the Cathedral); Giuseppe Spagnulo, Door of Light, 2009 (Cathedral, side aisle).

The city itinerary ends in Piazza Ciardi where you can see two works:
Alessandra Andrini, Count Up, (Monument to the Resistance) 2009, University Square
Marco Bagnoli, The missing link to the chain that is not there, 2016

The visit can continue towards the Bisenzio Valley where, passing from Viale Galilei, along the cycle path (left side), there is the "Anthropomorphic Figure for the Elba island" by Vittorio Tavernari and, always along the cycle path (right side near the Datini Bridge) you can see the large bronze sculpture "Mordi palo - Paalbijter" commissioned to Gijs Assmann in 2005 on the occasion of the exhibition "Territoria - Art from Holland to Prato and the Bisenzio Valley". The work, of strong realism, is linked to the theme of memory and Vanitas descended from  Dutch art of the seventeenth century.

The itinerary can continue towards the Bisenzio Valley where there are numerous installations, in particular in Luicciana where you can admire the Luicciana open-air museum. Back from the Bisenzio Valley, passing through Montemurlo where you can admire numerous installations, in particular the artistic fountains by Italo Bolano and Tosco Andreini. The itinerary can continue towards the Medicean municipalities where you can not miss a visit to the Quinto Martini Park.

Finally, we suggest a visit to the Fattoria di Celle, on the hills of Santomato, an enchanting place just 16 km from Prato where, by appointment, you can admire a prestigious private collection of environmental art with works by Abakanowicz, Burri, Hopenheim, Karavan, Lombardi, Long, Mattiacci, Melotti, Morris, Paladino, Paolini, Parmiggiani, Poirier, Serra, Sol Lewitt, Vedova and many others, thanks to the owner, Giuliano Gori from Prato.

Prato and its art treasures - Video