Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is one of the main attractions of Bolzano and a real gem of Gothic-Romanesque architecture, a symbol of the continuous and fruitful fusion of southern and northern cultures. The cathedral rises in the heart of the old town on Walterplatz square.
The first religious building on this site was laid back in early Christian times, then, in the 12th century, a rectangular Romanesque church was built here. In 1180, she was consecrated in honor of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the 14th century, the architects Schieché brothers from Augsburg gave the cathedral its current Gothic appearance - the reddish sandstone from Val Gardena and yellow from the northern parts of South Tyrol appeared in the cladding. Gargoyles, reminiscent of the Parisian cathedral of Notre Dame, are also a characteristic Gothic element. One of the brightest achievements of Gothic architecture is the tower with a spire, built in the first half of the 16th century by the Swabian master Hans Lutz.
Alternating lancet windows with openwork carvings create a sense of sublimity and lightness. The main portal of the cathedral is located on the side of the façade that faces Waltherplatz. It is exquisitely decorated and is considered one of the most beautiful in all of South Tyrol - on the portal you can see images of various figures, including two winery workers, dressed in the traditional costumes of the inhabitants of Bolzano. Just behind the entrance is a 14th-century fresco attributed to one of the great Giotto's students. And next to the fresco is an image of a pilgrim. Also noteworthy is the portrait of the Madonna, made in crisp white, red and black. According to legend, mothers whose children suffered from speech impairments brought them to this image and left several coins. And soon the children began to speak.
The interior of the cathedral, designed in the 14th century, amazes visitors with its scale. This is the first Gothic church in the history of architecture with a long central nave and two side chapels that create the shape of a cross. The most breathtaking sight of the church is the pulpit, made around 1507. It stands on a single pillar with a round base, decorated with images of lizards. The pulpit itself is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the four Evangelists. Once the entire interior of the cathedral was painted with frescoes, but only a few fragments have survived to this day.
Also noteworthy are the Baroque high altar, small side chapels with altarpieces from the 17th century and two sculptures - the Madonna and Child and Pieta. And in the lunette above the entrance in the back wall of the cathedral is the oldest image in the church - a crucifix, dated 1300.
At the cathedral bell tower there is a small Treasure Museum, which houses one of the richest collections of ritual objects in all of Tyrol - a golden tabernacle, a 13-kilogram bell covered with gold, gold and silver figurines, ancient vestments of priests, sculptures, antique bibles, frescoes, etc. etc.
