There are not many squares in Italy that make a more striking first impression than the Piazza del Duomo in Spoleto. Contrary to what is usual, the cathedral is not at the top, but at the foot of a picturesque monumental staircase framed by beautiful palaces. The square often hosts concerts.
Piazza del Duomo Spoleto
History and description
The spot where the Piazza del Duomo is located had already been flattened in Roman times.
The wide staircase leading from Piazza Campello to the Piazza del Duomo is called Via dell’Aringo. To the right of this staircase you can see the Palazzo Racani-Arroni and the House of Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti, which has been converted into a museum. Menotti (1911-2007) was an Italian composer, as well as the initiator of the famous Festival dei Due Mondi, an annual event in Spoleto.
The cathedral is not the only church in the Piazza del Duomo. On the left you can see the Santa Maria della Manna d’Oro Church.
On the right side of the square, there are a stone chair and a fountain along the wall. Both were added in 1954. However, the sarcophagus adorning the fountain dates back to Roman times.
The Caio Melisso Theater was built in the 17th and restored in the 19th century. In 1958 it was renovated again by Menotti to accommodate the festival.