Description of the attraction
The Cathedral of Cremona, named after Santa Maria Assunta, is the main church of the small Lombard town and the bishop's see. Its bell tower, the famous Torrazzo, is the symbol of the city and is considered the tallest pre-modern tower in Italy. An integral part of the cathedral is its baptistery - an important monument of medieval architecture.
Initially, the cathedral was built in the Romanesque style, but over time, as a result of numerous restorations, elements of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles appeared in its appearance. Construction of the church began in 1107, but was interrupted by an earthquake in 1117. It only resumed in 1129 and lasted over 40 years. The main altar, dedicated to the patrons of Cremona, Saints Archelius and Imerio, was consecrated in 1196.
The current facade of the cathedral was built in the 13th - early 14th century. Then the transept was added. Today the façade and the adjacent baptistery are considered one of the most important monuments of Romanesque art in Europe. The facade is notable for a portico with a narthex in the center, to which a Renaissance loggia with three niches was added in 1491. The facade is crowned with a huge rosette window. The portal was made at the beginning of the 12th century: the figures of the prophets are located on its sides. Also on the façade you can see an old frieze, statues depicting the Madonna and Child with bishops, two Veronese marble lions and two tombstones, one of which dates from the mid-14th century.
Inside, the Cathedral of Cremona is decorated with numerous works of art. The most ancient of these are frescoes depicting scenes from the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, dating back to the 14-15th centuries. There are also works by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo and sculptures by Benedetto Briosco in the crypt. The cycle of frescoes on the side wall of the nave of the early 16th century deserves special attention - it depicts scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and Christ. Several masters worked on the cycle - Boccaccio Boccaccino, Giovanni Francesco Bembo, Altobello Melone, Girolamo Romanino, Il Pordenone and Bernardino Gatti.
The famous baptistery was built in 1167 - it is made in the shape of an octagon, which is typical for the cult of St. Ambrose of Milan and symbolizes the eight days of the Resurrection. The architecture of the building mixed features of the Romanesque and Lombard-Gothic styles (the latter is represented by unfired brick walls). In the 16th century, part of the baptistery's walls were faced with marble, the floor was paved and a Romanesque font was made. Above the vault, you can see a 12th-century statue of the Archangel Gabriel.
