Religious Places

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta – Cathedral

enne built in 1175 on the site where until twenty years earlier stood the 8th-century church destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa. Consecrated by Pope Innocent III in 1198, work continued until the mid-13th century. While the square in front of the cathedral was built only in the following century and in the face of a series of demolitions of ancient buildings. The facade is divided into three sections, the lower one is characterized by a portico, erected in the 15th century as well as the belfry cell that stands out on the left side. The central part, on the other hand, is characterized by a central rose window and four other lateral ones, while in the upper part we find three large arches, with the central one containing a mosaic depicting the Redeemer between the Madonna and St. John, above it we find three other rose windows. The interior of the cathedral is rich in works of art, including the cycle of frescoes by Filippo Lippi, the Eroli Chapel frescoed by Pinturicchio, as well as the letter signed by St. Francis of Assisi and the tablet given as a symbol of peace by Frederick Barbarossa to the city of Spoleto. In addition, from the cathedral rectory it is possible to access the ancient Crypt of San Primiano, which is the only remaining room of the old arrangement of the cathedral buildings. Inside are some frescoes illustrating the stories of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica.

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