NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Modena Cathedral

Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena*

UNESCO World Heritage Site

State Party

Italy

Type

Cultural

Criteria

i, ii, iii, iv

Reference

827

Region†

Europe and North America

Inscription History

Inscription

1997 (21st Session)

* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.

Construction

Work on the Cathedral began in 1099, under the direction of the master builder Lanfranco, over the site of the sepulchre of Saint Geminianus, Modena's patron saint. Two previous churches had been constructed on the site since the fifth century, but they had both been destroyed. The Saint's remains are still exhibited in the cathedral's crypt. Saint Geminianus from pentaptych by Simone Martini (c. ... Crypt is also a commonly used name of water trumpets, aquatic plants. ...

Embellishment

After Lanfranco's work, the Cathedral was embellished by Anselmo da Campione and his heirs, the so-called "Campionese-masters". The current façade therefore exhibits different styles. The majestic rose-window was added by Anselmo in the 13th century, while the two lions supporting the entrance's columns are of Roman age, probably discovered while digging the foundations. (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Façade

The façade has also notable reliefs by Wiligelmus, a contemporary of Lanfranco's; these include portraits of prophets and patriarchs, and most of all the Biblical Stories, a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture. The scholars have pointed out the splendid achievements in the creation of Adam and Eve, the original sin and the story of Noah. In the art of sculpture, a relief is an artwork where a modelled form projects out of a flat background. ... Adam and Eve, Duomo di Modena. ... For other senses of this word, see Prophet (disambiguation). ... For other senses, see Patriarch (disambiguation). ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... This article is about the biblical Noah. ...

Wiligelmus' relief depicting Adam and Eve

The side gates are also noteworthy. On Piazza Grande, the Porta Regia ("Royal Gate"), also by the campionesi, and the shorter Porta dei Principi ("Princes' Gate"), decorated with a relief depicting episodes of the life of Saint Geminianus, by a pupil of Wiligelmus'. On the northern side is the Porta della Pescheria ("Fish-Market Gate"), with reliefs inspired by the cycle of the years' twelve months (on the doorposts) and tales from the Breton Cycle of King Arthur (on the arch). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Look up Month in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Breton (Brezhoneg) is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany (Breizh) in France. ... A bronze Arthur in plate armour with visor raised and with jousting shield wearing Kastenbrust armour (early 15th century) by Peter Vischer, typical of later anachronistic depictions of Arthur. ...

Interiors

The interior is divided into three naves. Between the central nave and the crypt is a marble parapet by Anselmo da Campione portraying the Passion of Christ, including the Last Supper. The pulpit is by Arrigo da Campione, decorated with small terracotta statues. Notable also the wood crucifix from the 14th century. Links to full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are also found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... The Passion is the theological term used for the suffering, both physical and mental, of Jesus in the hours prior to and including his trial and execution by crucifixion. ... The Last Supper in Milan (1498), by Leonardo da Vinci According to the Gospels, the Last Supper (also called Lords Supper) was the last meal Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles before his death. ... For other uses of Ambo, see Ambo, Ethiopia, Kom Ombo, ambulance Ambo (band). ... Terra cotta is a hard semifired waterproof ceramic clay used in pottery and building construction. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ...

The Duomo houses also the nativity scenes by two great Modenese artistis: Antonio Begarelli's one (1527) and, in the crpyt, Guido Mazzoni's one (1480), also known as the Madonna della Pappa ("Madonna of the Pap"). A traditional nativity scene from Naples, Italy A nativity scene, also called a crib or crÃ¨che (meaning crib or manger in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. ... January 5 - Felix Manz, co-founder of the Swiss Anabaptists, was drowned in the Limmat in ZÃ¼rich by the ZÃ¼rich Reformed state church. ... Guido Mazzoni (c. ... Events March 6 - Treaty of Toledo - Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain recognize African conquests of Afonso of Portugal and he cedes the Canary Islands to Spain Great standing on the Ugra river - Muscovy becomes independent from the Golden Horde. ...

The Torre della Ghirlandina is annexed to the church. The Torre della Ghirlandina or Torre Civica is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ...

v • d • e

World Heritage Sites in Italy

For official site names, see each article or the List of World Heritage Sites in Italy.

Aeolian Islands · Aquileia · Agrigento · Pompeii, Herculaneum, Torre Annunziata · Botanical Garden, Padua · Caserta Palace, Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, San Leucio Complex · Castel del Monte · Cilento and Vallo di Diano, Paestum, Velia, Certosa di Padula · Amalfi Coast · Crespi d'Adda · Ravenna · Cerveteri, Tarquinia · Ferrara · Florence · Assisi · Matera · Cathedral, Torre Civica, Piazza Grande, Modena · Naples · Genoa · Piazza del Duomo, Pisa · Pienza · Portovenere, Cinque Terre (Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore), Palmaria, Tino, Tinetto · Residences of the Royal House of Savoy · Valcamonica · Rome¹ · Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy · San Gimignano · Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan · Val di Noto (Caltagirone, Militello in Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa, Scicli) · Siena · Barumini nuraghes · Syracuse, Necropolis of Pantalica · Alberobello · Urbino · Val d'Orcia · Venice · Verona · Vicenza, Palladian Villas of the Veneto · Hadrian's Villa · Villa d'Este · Villa Romana del Casale A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. ... The Aeolian Islands. ... Aquileia (Friulian Aquilee, Slovene Oglej) is an ancient Roman town of Italy, at the head of the Adriatic at the edge of the lagoons, about 10 km from the sea, on the river Natiso (modern Natisone), the course of which has changed somewhat since Roman times. ... San Lorenzo. ... For other uses, see Pompeii (disambiguation). ... Herculaneum (in modern Italian Ercolano) is an ancient Roman town, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano. ... Torre Annunziata, population 52,875 (1991), is a city in the province of Naples, region of Campania in Italy. ... The Botanical Garden of Padova (or Garden of the Simples) in a 16th century print; in the background, the Basilica of SantAntonio. ... The Palace of Caserta, in Italian Reggia di Caserta, is a former royal residence in Caserta, near Naples, constructed for the Borbone kings of Naples. ... San Leucio resort or San Leucio Complex In 1750 Charles VII of Naples selected this place for an unusual social and tecnological experiment, a different model of production based on technical innovation and alert to the needs of workers. ... Castel del Monte. ... Paestum is the classical Roman name of a major Graeco-Roman city in the Campania region of Italy. ... Velia is an ancient town of Lucania (present Basilicata), Italy, on the hill now crowned by the medieval castle of Castellainmare della Bruca, 440 ft. ... The Certosa di Padula, also known as Carthusian Monastery of Padula or Chartreuse of Padula or or , is a large famous Carthusian monastery in the Cilento National Park near Salerno in Southern Italy. ... The Amalfi Coast, or Costiera Amalfitana in Italian, is a stretch of coastline on the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy (Province of Salerno), extending from Positano in the west to Vietri sul Mare in the east. ... The Crespi factory Crespi dAdda is a worker village in Italy founded in the 19th century. ... Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... A small town located approximately 60 miles N of Rome. ... Tarquinia, formerly Corneto and in Antiquity Tarquinii, is an ancient city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Italy. ... Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, capital city of the province of Ferrara. ... Florence (Italian: ) is the capital city of the region of Tuscany, Italy. ... This article is about the Italian town. ... A street corner in the ancient Sassi di Matera as it looks today. ... The Torre della Ghirlandina or Torre Civica is the bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ... Modena (MÃ²dna in Modenese dialect) is a city and a province on the south side of the Po valley, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ... For other uses see, Naples (disambiguation) and Napoli (disambiguation) Location of the city of Naples (red dot) within Italy. ... Genoa (Genova [] in Italian - Zena [] in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... The Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) is a wide, walled area at the heart of the city of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, recognized as one of the main centers for medieval art in the world. ... Pienza, a town and commune in the province of Siena, in the Val dOrcia in Tuscany (central Italy), between the towns of Montepulciano and Montalcino, is the touchstone of Renaissance urbanism. ... Portovenere is a village in Liguria, Italy located 12km from La Spezia. ... The Cinque Terre are five coastal villages in the province of La Spezia in the Liguria region of Italy. ... Monterosso al Mare is a town and commune in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria (northern Italy). ... Vernazza Vernazza is one of the five towns in Italys picturesque Cinque Terre region, located in the La Spezia province in the northwest of the country. ... Corniglia differs from the other villages of the Cinque Terre as it does not directly look upon the sea but raises on the top of a promontory about 100 meters high, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces and the fourth side descends steeply on the sea. ... View of Manarola. ... Riomaggiore Riomaggiore, situated in a small valley in the Liguria region of Italy, is the first of the Cinque Terre one meets coming from La Spezia. ... Tino The Italian island of Tino is situated in the Ligurian Sea, at the westernmost end of the Gulf of La Spezia. ... The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy is a group of structures in Turin and its province, in Piedmont (northern Italy). ... Val Camonica is a valley in the lower Alpine regions of Lombardy, Italy. ... Nickname: Motto: SPQR: Senatus Populusque Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC Government - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area - City 1,285 kmÂ² (580 sq mi) - Urban 5... Sacro Monte di Varallo. ... San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hilltop town in Tuscany, Italy, about a 35-minute drive northwest of Siena or southwest of Florence. ... Santa Maria delle Grazie is a Renaissance church in Milan built by Guiniforte Solari between 1466 and 1490 on a commission by Dominican monks. ... Val di Noto (English: Valley of Noto) is a geographical area of south east Sicily; it is dominated by the limestone Iblean plateau. ... Caltagirone is a town and comune in the province of Catania, on the island (and region) of Sicily, about 70 km SW of Catania. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Province of Catania (CT) Mayor Elevation 413 m Area 62. ... The Roman Odeon. ... Country Italy Region Sicily Province Ragusa (RG) Mayor Pietro Torchi Lucifora (since May 28, 2002 Elevation 296 m Area 290. ... For other uses, see Noto (disambiguation). ... Palazzolo Acreide, a town of Sicily, in the Province_of_Syracuse, 28 m. ... Ragusa Ragusa is a city in southern Italy. ... Scicli is a city in the Province of Ragusa in the south east of Sicily. ... Piazza del Campo Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. ... Su Nuraxi, Barumini, Sardinia Central tower of the Nuraghe at Saint Antine of Torralba Su Nurraxi. ... Syracuse (Italian Siracusa, Sicilian Sarausa, Greek , Latin Syracusae) is an Italian city on the eastern coast of Sicily and the capital of the province of Syracuse. ... The Necropolis of Pantalica is a large necropolis in Sicily with about 5000 tombs dating from the 13th to the 7th centuries BC. Pantalica is situated in the valleys of the rivers Anapo and Calcinara, between the towns of Ferla and Sortino in south-eastern Sicily. ... Alberobello is a small town in the province of Bari, in Puglia, Italy. ... Panorama of Urbino with the cathedral and the palazzo ducale Urbino is a city in the Marche in Italy, southwest of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site with a great cultural history during the Renaissance as the seat of Federico da Montefeltro. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... For other uses, see Venice (disambiguation). ... Verona is a city and provincial capital in Veneto, Northern Italy. ... Vicenza is a city in northern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione. ... Villa Capra La Rotonda in Vicenza The City centre of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto are a cluster of works by Andrea Palladio and his students which were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994 and expanded two years later. ... The villas recreation of Canopus, a resort near Alexandria, as seen from the temple of Serapis Theatrical masks of Tragedy and Comedy in refined mosaic, from the villa (Capitoline Museum, Rome) The Villa of the Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli, Italy, even in ruined condition is one of the most... Park of the Villa dEste, Carl Blechen, 1830 The gardens at the Villa dEste The Villa dEste is a masterpiece of Italian architecture and garden design. ... Villa Romana del Casale is located about 5km outside the town of Piazza Armerina. ...

¹ Shared with the Holy See.

Contents

Embellishment

Façade

Interiors