Duomo di Casalmaggiore

The Duomo di Casalmaggiore is a neoclassical cathedral built with a Greek cross plan that includes three naves, lateral chapels, and a deep choir space. A dome reaching 60 meters high crowns the central crossing and dominates both the interior volume and the external skyline.

A nobleman named Giovanni Vicenza Ponzone funded the construction starting in 1840, with the building completed in 1846 and consecrated in 1861. The bell tower was then added between 1897 and 1899 by architect Fermo Zuccari, thanks to a separate donation.

The interior displays numerous white stone saint statues positioned in niches throughout the space, and features a significant depiction of Saint Stephen's suffering in the apse. This sculptural program shapes how visitors move through and experience the sacred interior.

The cathedral stands at the end of Via Favagrossa in central Casalmaggiore, positioned between two neoclassical mansions named Camozzi and Mina-Tentolini. The location is easy to reach on foot and sits within walking distance of the city's other main civic buildings.

The bell tower was added quite late in the building's history, between 1897 and 1899, and exists thanks to the personal generosity of a single benefactor named Bianca Contesini. This delayed addition shows how the structure received support from different patrons across many decades.