Modena Cathedral, Romanesque cathedral in Modena, Italy
Modena Cathedral is a Romanesque place of worship in the city center with a light marble front and three naves inside. The walls are covered with relief-like stonework depicting biblical episodes and separated by thick columns.
Construction started at the end of the 11th century under the direction of architect Lanfranco, who used stones from Roman ruins of the ancient settlement Mutina. Over the following decades the building was expanded and decorated with sculptures by stonemason Wiligelmo.
The entrance on the north side shows carved figures from medieval tales that one can look at directly on the stone frame. These motifs come from stories about King Arthur and his knights, which is unusual for a church of that period.
One can visit the interior daily, with the crypt below the raised altar area being especially well preserved. For details about the stone reliefs a tour with a local guide is recommended, as many scenes are hard to interpret.
The outer walls contain fragments of Roman buildings from antiquity that one can recognize on close inspection. This reuse of old materials was scientifically confirmed during examinations in 2006.
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Emilia-Romagna in Italy has towns like Bologna, Modena, Parma, and Ravenna. Old squares, cathedrals, and historic arcades tell many years of history. The region has several sites listed by UNESCO. These include the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, the porticoes in Bologna, and the buildings in Modena....
Torre della Ghirlandina
17 m
Piazza Grande
35 m
Ducal Palace of Modena
346 m
Teatro Comunale di Modena
357 m
Palazzo comunale
58 m
La Bonissima
62 m
Synagogue of Modena
164 m
Mercato Albinelli
139 m
Sant'Agostino, Modena
369 m
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pomposa
333 m
San Vincenzo, Modena
295 m
Chiesa del Voto
102 m
San Bartolomeo
197 m
Museums of the Modena Cathedral
21 m
San Biagio, Modena
356 m
Church of San Domenico
344 m
San Barnaba, Modena
289 m
San Paolo
350 m
Church of Saint John the Baptist
181 m
Manà
92 m
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena
3 m
Santa Maria delle Assi Church
343 m
Chiesa di Sant'Eufemia
163 m
Fontana della ninfa
328 m
Terziarie di San Domenico
366 m
Archbishop's Palace
51 m
Piazza Roma
329 m
Monumento ad Alessandro Tassoni
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