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San Pietro Cathedral
This Cathedral of San Pietro – St Peter in English – is the religious and spiritual centre of the Diocese of Bologna.
The bell tower to the right of he church is the oldest part of the Cathedral and an extremely important document for its history. It was built in Romanesque style in the early 13th century and amazingly, contains another bell tower within it. It was built on a circular plan in the late 10th century and raised up immediately afterwards in 1184. And at 70 metres in height, represents the second highest tower of medieval Bologna.
These lions were made from red Veronese Marble in 1220 and originally sat outside the church where Via Altabella is now. In fact, Via Altabella used to be known as Via Leoni.
This first baptistery chapel here displays a marble baptismal font made by Ferdinando Saint Urbain in 1698. It was the first one located within the walls of medieval Bologna. The 18th century painting above it showing the Baptism of Christ is the work of Ercole Graziani.
This next chapel of the Sacred Heart shows this 1925 painting by Giuseppe Cassioli.
This chapel of the Sacrament has been beautifully adorned with precious marble and bronze by the artist Stefano Orfani. Above the altar is the painting of San Ignazio di Loyola in front of the Madonna and Child. It was executed by Donati Creti in early 1700s.
The next one along here is the chapel of reliquaries and actually belonged to the Paleotti family. It contains the reliquaries of cardinal Paleotti that have been enclosed here since 1918 within this skilfully carved wooden barrier by Mario Dagnini. At its center is this image of the Madonna that once belonged to the archbishop Alfonso Paleotti.
The last chapel on this side here is Sant’Ambrogio and was commissioned by Pope Benedict XIV Lambertini. The huge 18th century painting was done by Giuseppe Marchesi.
The architects Floriano Ambrosini, Nicolò Donati and Giovan Battista Natali raised the great nave with the lateral chapels between 1605 and 1622, basing their designs on an earlier project by architect Ambrogio Mazenta. The first chapels on either side of the church and the facade were instead carried out by architect Alfonso Torreggiani between 1743 and 1755 on behalf of the Bolognese Pope Benedict XIV.
On the right hand side aisle is this first chapel displaying an 18th century painting of San Carlo Borromeo saviour of the poor. Donati Creti was responsible for its execution.
Franceschini painted this 17th century work of art showing the Madonna and Child and various saints. The 18th century frescoes on the ceiling were done by Bigari.
Hanging above this altar is an 18th century painting by Graziani showing St Appollinare being blessed by St Peter.
The next chapel which belonged to the Ariosti family boasting illustrious decorations was completed between 1905-06 in polychrome marble by the architect Edorado Callamarini. It holds the reliquary of St Anna, the mother of the Madonna and was actually donated in 1435 by King Henry IV of England.
Finally, this last chapel of the Blessed Nicolo Albergati displays Alfonso Lombardi’s early 16th century famous terracotta scene of the Madonna and others grieving over the dead body of Christ. This painting of Nicolo Albergati is the work of Antonio Rossi mid 1700s.
The first historical documents that actually mention the building date from the 10th century. However recent studies, together with the archaeological elements that have been discovered beneath the present church, have led experts to believe that it is early Christian in origin and that the first church was built on a basilica plan with three naves.
Noteworthy around the main altar here are these frescoes in the presbytery vault and in the apse dating to 1579. Even more famous is the Annuciation dating to 1619 by Lodovico Carracci in the lunette above the high altar. And this Crucifixion made with polychromatic cedarwood is from the 12th century.
The Cathedral was reconstructed in Romanesque style after the violent fire in 1141. In the second half of the 16th century, architect Domenico Tibaldi redesigned and transformed it in Renaissance style, together with the Main Chapel and the crypt.
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