Blog: Discover Italy

People often ask me why I named my business “The Merchant of Prato”. Well, I am a lover of history and have my Master’s degree in Medieval Studies. An influential businessman lived during this time and he has come down in history as the Merchant of Prato. His name is Francesco di Marco Datini and he lived during the 1300’s in the Tuscan town of Prato, which is about 8 miles northeast of Florence, Italy. He was an important merchant who is created with implementing th …

The Church of San Donato, located near the Italian town of Castelli, is renowned for its ancient and precious tradition of ceramic art. The Church of San Donato (Chiesa di San Donato) in Castelli, Italy owes its fame to the beautiful majolica ceiling which earned her the nickname "The Sistine Chapel of Majolica". The approximately 800 bricks that make up the ceiling, bearing the dates 1615, 1616, 1617, depict geometric motifs, coats of arms and heraldic emblems, floral ornaments and decor …

In Florence, Italy stands an architectural masterpiece Ospedale degli Innocenti (The Hospital of the Innocents) created by Filippo Brunelleschi who designed the iconic symbol of Florence – The Duomo of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Visiting Florence, one would assume this majestic building must be a palace or a religious institution, however the purpose of this building was a lot less grand. It served as a “hospital” for abandoned children in Florence. Today, we tend to t …