The San Lorenzo Cathedral is the most important church in Perugia and has the unusual feature of having its side along the central square of the city, where this is usually the façade. The steps in front of the church are a meeting place for university students.
San Lorenzo Cathedral Perugia
Useful information
Address: Piazza IV Novembre, 06123 Perugia. Tel. +39 0755723832. Public transport: Bus: 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13s, 13d, 15, 81, 82, 83, 87, bis28, bis31, bis34, bis39, bis41, bis44, bis50 (Piazza Italia). Opening hours: Unknown. Entrance: Free. Accessible to the disabled.
History and description
The present cathedral, which replaced an older, Romanesque version, was designed around the year 1300. However, construction was not completed until the end of the next century.
The facade on the Piazza Dante side is unfinished. The Baroque portal on this side was made by Pietro Carattoli (1729).
In the portal designed by Galeazzo Alessi in 1568 on the fountain side, there are a 15th century pulpit and a wooden cross by Polidoro Ciburri (1540).
The interior was completely renovated in the 18th century.
Perugia Duomo artworks
The San Bernardino Chapel contains a “Deposition of Christ” by Federico Barocci (1569).
The San Giuseppe Chapel contains the relic of the Santo Anello, the wedding ring of the Madonna. The Sposalizio di Maria (“Mary’s wedding”) is a copy of an original by Perugino. It was painted by Wicar after the original had been stolen by the French during Napoleon’s reign.
The windows were the work of the local craftsmen of the house of Morettini-Caselli.
The wooden choir was the work of Giuliano da Maiano and Domenico del Tasso (1491). After a fire in 1985 it needed to be restored.
The sacristy contains a “Martyrdom of San Lorenzo” cycle (1573-1576) by Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi.