St. Peter's Metropolitan Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pietro, located in the heart of Bologna, is one of the most important and ancient places of worship in the city. Its history dates back to the 4th century, with a series of reconstructions that have defined its current appearance. The first church, dedicated to Saints Nabore and Felice, was destroyed by a fire in 906. The new cathedral, built between the 10th and 11th centuries, was constructed inside the city walls, near the Porta di San Pietro. Over the centuries, the cathedral underwent numerous reconstruction and expansion interventions, especially after the fire of 1141 and the earthquake of 1222. Among the architects involved in the various works are Magister Albertus, Maestro Ventura, and Domenico Tibaldi, who made the complex an important example of Romanesque architecture first and then Baroque. The current facade, made of red bricks and marble decorations, is divided into two bands stacked on top of each other by a cornice. The lower part features three portals, with the central one surmounted by a pediment with the coat of arms of Benedict XIV. The upper band houses a large central window and two statues, one of Saint Peter and the other of Saint Paul, completed around 1750. The interior of the cathedral, spacious and bright, is characterized by a central nave 25 meters wide, almost like that of St. Peter’s Basilica. The barrel-vaulted ceiling and the side chapels, five on each side, add an additional dimension of grandeur. Among the works of art present, the Lamentation over the Dead Christ by Alfonso Lombardi stands out, a terracotta sculpture created between 1522 and 1526, an example of balanced classicism. The cathedral’s bell tower, reaching a height of about 70 meters, houses the largest playable bell “alla bolognese”, called “la nonna”, weighing 33 quintals. This imposing bell tower is an example of sagramatura, a type of construction in bricks and stone, and represents an important symbol of Bologna’s architectural heritage. The cathedral underwent a significant restoration between 1743 and 1747 under the direction of architect Alfonso Torreggiani, at the behest of Pope Benedict XIV, who was also Archbishop of Bologna. During this period, the side chapels were added and the facade was enriched with new decorative elements. The richly decorated floor was installed between 1902 and 1905 according to the design of Silvio Gordini.