Il Duomo

The Cathedral stands on the remainder of the Etruscan and Mediaeval walls which run from Porta S. Maria towards Porta Colonia. A Romanesque parish church was built on this spot about 1 000, which was then altered in 1262 by Nicola Pisano, and then again by others about a century later. The construction of the present church began in June of 1480 and was finished in 1507. The building was mad a Cathedraland the following year. The Renaissance-style building is about 47 metres long by 18 wide and has a central nave and two side aisles. The Cortonese, Francesco Laparelli, was responsible for the campanile which dates back to 1566. The oval windows date back to 1701 when the vault of the central nave was built. A century ago the vault was repainted by the Cortonese, Gaetano Brunacci. The external arcade is 16th century. The large pilasters were added between 1825 and 1828 closing in the 16th century columns which formed part of the arcade which was built around 1590, while Bishop Serristori had the upper part built in 1647. Inside, the main altar is the work of the Cortonese, Francesco Mazzuoli in 1664, and the pews and choir stalls, dating back to 1684, are by the Cortonese, Conti and Fabbrucci. The side chapels were built between 1650 and 1690 and the marble floor was added in 1765.

The bronze door on the tomb of the Bishops is the work of the Roman, Goffredo Verginelli and was made in 1964. On the third altar on the left there is a famous Nativity by Pietro Berrettini. There is also a beautiful marble ciborium attributed to the Cortonese, Ciuccio di Nuccio set into the end part of the same wall. In the eboir there are some interesting pantings which are attributable to the works of Signorelli. There is a 14th century Pietà in the end chapel on the right. The Mosaic by Gino Severini of a Sacred Heart on the third altar on the right is also worth looking at.

Of the eight bells, one dates back to 1536, while the others are almost all 17th century and mostly by unknown foundrymen except for the fifth which is attributed to a certain Rascetti di Chianciano.