CATTEDRALE SAN RUFINO

The construction of the cathedral began in the 12th century, on the orders of Bishop Ugone, at the place where, it was said, Saint Rufino, martyr and patron saint of the city, was buried. The church of that time, supplanted by this cathedral built from 1140 and consecrated in 1253 by Pope Innocent IV, is still visible in the lower crypt corresponding to the first bay of the present structure. The façade a capanna, a masterpiece of Umbrian Romanesque art (one of the highest examples of Romanesque art), is adorned with three highly decorated portals and three large rose windows that filter the light. The imposing bell tower was built on a Roman cistern from the 2nd century BC. The interior has three naves, separated by massive pillars. Unfortunately, the interior of the Duomo has lost its original Romanesque character since the 16th century renovations by Galeazzo Alessi (architect of the nearby basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli) and the heavy 19th century decorations. Some paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries deserve attention, especially those by Dono Doni. The interior, renovated in the 16th century, preserves the baptismal font in which St. Francis, St. Clare and, according to tradition, Frederick II of Swabia were baptized.

In the apse there is a splendid wooden choir carved by Giovanni di Piergiacomo da San Severino (1520), in the centre of which is the great organ (19th century). The crypt is divided into three naves and preserves 11th century frescoes with the symbols of the evangelists.