PALAZZO VESTRI, PRATO

There is little and fragmented information to be had of Palazzo Vestri in Piazza del Duomo, once the hotel “Star of Italy”. Almost nothing is known of the period before the nineteenth century, but there is some information for the period following. The current configuration of the palace dates from the years 1820 -1830 when existing buildings …

ROCCA CERBAIA, CANTAGALLO, PRATO

The name Rocca Cebaia refers to a ruined monument located at an altitude of 366 m, situated In the Val di Bisenzio. It was a check point in medieval times sited as it is, along the Apennine way that runs from Prato to Bologna. Today the fortress consists in the foundations of a central tower and …

SAN GIACOMO, GRIGNO, TRENTO

Tracing the chronological history of this church, and explaining changes to the building through the centuries was not simple for lack of reliable documentation. The earliest records date back to 1474. In 1596 indirect entries refer to the existence of a document that mentions the consecration of the high altar in 1474. In 1585 we …

CHURCH of Saint PETER , CAVARZANO

The Church of Saint Peter in Cavarzano is located in the hamlet of Cavarzano, Vernio, in the province of Prato. This large neo-Romanesque church dominates the town. It was built to a design by Raffaello Franci between 1928 and1930, in sandstone and brick, after the demolition of the old church. The bell tower in nineteenth century style, …

PALAZZO VENERA , Via Santa MARIA , PISA

The building called “Palazzo Venera” and today property of the university, is located on the eastern side of Via Santa Maria, a short distance from Piazza Cavallotti (formally Piazza Stellino). The palace is on four floors. Each floor has eleven window openings regularly spaced, although a change in the placing of the windows in the southern …

ORATORY of SAINT MICHAEL, PRATO

The church of the ArchIconfraternita of the Misericordia, Prato, located in Via Convenevole, is part of the ancient Benedictine monastery of San Michele, founded in about 1330 by monks who moved there from Ponzano near Mezzane. In the mid-nineteenth century, the Benedictine monks left the monastery to move to Saint Clemence. The name of San Michele …

The BASILICA of Saint FRANCES, AREZZO

The Basilica of St. Francis is an important church in Arezzo, famous for the cycle of frescoes by Piero della Francesca which adorn the chapel of the high altar. They tell the story of the true cross. The Basilica is historically the second church dedicated to St Francis in Arezzo. The first was outside the walls …

The CHURCHES of Santa MARIA and SAN NICCOLO NUOVO, CORTONA

The church of Santa Maria Nuova is located in Cortona, near Arezzo in the Diocese of Arezzo – Cortona – Sansepolcro. Designed by the architect Battista Cristofanello, the building of the apse began in 1550. On his death in 1553 the project was taken over by Giorgio Vasari who made side entrances to he church and …

MONUMENTS in WOOD, ISLE of KIZHI, KARELIA , RUSSIA

The research project, “Restoration and enhancement” made by PIACENTI SpA in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Florence, took place on the Isle of Kizhi in Karelia (Russia) and had various objectives in mind. These may be summarized as follows: Enhancement of landscape design and territory based on a multidisciplinary project …

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MONASTERY of the NEW JERUSALEM, CATHEDRAL of the RESURRECTION, ISTRA, MOSCOW

The restoration of the entire monastery of New Jerusalem is one of the most important federal restoration work sites currently underway in Russia, the financing of which draws on federal capital, as well as various charitable donations. The foundation set up for the restoration of the New Jerusalem Monastery was created on the initiative of …