Chiesa di Santa Cristina, Catholic church in Prato, Italy
The chiesa di Santa Cristina is a church in Prato featuring a simple gabled facade and a warm-toned apse constructed from albarese stone blocks. The interior displays late 14th-century frescoes and houses a ciborium dating to 1452.
The building incorporates an observation tower from the 11th to 12th centuries that now functions as the sacristy. This repurposing demonstrates how the structure adapted over the centuries to serve new functions.
The church displays frescoes from the late 14th century showing scenes like the Pietà and the Madonna with Child that were created to help visitors understand religious stories. These artworks reveal how people in that era used paintings as a form of teaching and spiritual connection.
The church sits on a hillside and is accessible from Piazza San Marco in the center of Prato. Best times to visit are mornings when the building is open for exploration outside of service times.
The garden on the church grounds contains a wall sundial designed by Prior Andrea Tofani, a noted sundial maker in Prato. This sundial marks both hourly divisions and the points where day and night are equal length.
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