The Duomo, Cremona's cathedral, stands in Piazza del Comune, the civil and religious centre of the town. It is one of the most important religious buildings in northern Italy.
Begun in 1107 over a previous cathedral, the Duomo has an elegant brick façade inserted with 13th c. statues of exceptional expressiveness. Alterations to the façade have been made over the centuries. In the 13th c, maestri provided the facade with a marble lining, and enlarged the rose window and the avant-corps composed of a prothyrum that crowns the main doors.
During the Renaissance, the Romanesque pediment was truncated so that the current classical pediment could be erected. The doors to the side naves date from the 16th c.
The monumental interior is based on a Latin cross with three naves separated by massive round, polystyle columns. The magnificent decoration was in general carried out during the 16th c. by B. Gatti. V. Campi, C. Magnani and A. Amadeo. Very little of the 13th c. decorations have survived.
The nearby Romanesque baptistery should also be visited. Construction of the octagonal building crowned by a loggetta was begun in 1167.
Milan