Dôme de Cividale del Friuli, Renaissance minor basilica in Cividale del Friuli, Italy.
The Duomo di Cividale del Friuli is a Renaissance minor basilica with three naves ending in apses, standing at the heart of the town's main square. Inside, the space is anchored by a large silver-gilt altar known as the Altare Argenteo, one of the finest examples of goldsmith work in the region.
Work on the cathedral started in 1457 under architect Bartolomeo delle Cisterne, but an earthquake interrupted construction and forced parts of the building to be rebuilt. The project was finally completed in 1529, after more than seven decades of work.
Every January, the cathedral hosts the Messa del Spadone, a Mass during which a large sword is raised at a key moment of the liturgy. The ritual draws locals and visitors together and turns the church into a living space of local tradition.
The cathedral is open daily and can be visited on its own, though setting aside extra time to see the attached museum is worthwhile. The museum is housed in the same complex and accessible directly from the nave.
The cathedral's museum holds a throne from the Lombard period, thought to have belonged to Patriarch Callisto and dating to the 8th century. It is one of the very few pieces of furniture from that era to have survived anywhere in Europe.
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