The Duomo of Spoleto

Decided to go on a Magical Mystery Tour of Umbria today, as the weather was a bit overcast.

I came across the beautiful town of Spoleto on the slopes of a sacred mountain in the Apennines. The town has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. As a Roman town in the 3rd century BC, it fought off the fierce invader Hannibal. Strategically situated on the ancient Via Flaminia from Rome to Ravenna, Spoleto became the stronghold of many rulers during the Dark Ages. The Lombards made it the capital of their empire in the 8th century; the duke they installed here governed most of central Italy. At the turn of the 12th century, Spoleto fell into papal hands, and its twilight began. Today's Spoleto has two levels: the Lower Town, extensively rebuilt after World War II; and the well-preserved medieval Upper Town. Spoleto contains a number of ancient Roman and medieval sacred sites - in addition to the Duomo, with Filippo Lippi's last fresco cycle, there are many Romanesque churches and a Roman theater, now restored and once again in use.

The Duomo of Spoleto, dating from the 12th century, features a lovely Romanesque façade and a magnificent fresco cycle by Fra Filippo Lippi. Its official name is Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary).

The cathedral was built to replace a church razed by Frederick Barbarossa in 1155, when the emperor destroyed Spoleto for refusing to pay him tribute. The new cathedral was consecrated by Pope Innocent III in 1198.

The Life of the Virgin fresco cycle in the apse was begun by Fra Filippo Lippi in 1467. The work was almost finished when the master died suddenly in 1469; his assistants finished it up a few months later on his behalf.

The Duomo contains the tomb of Filippo, but his remains have been lost. The tomb was designed by his son, Filippino, at the request of Lorenzo de' Medici. Lorenzo was unable to convince the Spoleteans to give Filippo's body to Florence to be honored there.

The Duomo's interior was fully baroqued in the 17th century for Pope Urban VII, who's commemorated with a Gian Lorenzo Bernini bust high above the central door inside. Only the pavement and frescoes survived this renovation.

The Duomo's unique Romanesque façade features a golden mosaic dated 1207 and signed by a certain Solsternus. It depicts Christ between the Virgin Mary and St. John. Also decorating the facade are no less than eight rose windows; the central one is surrounded by small atlantes sculptures and symbols of the Four Evangelists.

The attached bell tower was built of stone from Roman temples (some ancient reliefs can be seen among the masonry), while the open portico is a Renaissance addition (1492).

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