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Modena Cathedral

Type Object Region Europe Time 1099

Modena Cathedral, begun in 1099 to house the relics of patron saint Geminianus, is a Romanesque cathedral whose west facade Genesis reliefs were carv…

Timeline

  1. 1099–1106Modena Cathedral · Emilia-RomagnaIn 1099 citizens and the church decided to rebuild the cathedral. Lanfranco designed the Latin cross plan and arcades, and Wiligelmo carved the Genesis reliefs on the west facade, leaving a signed inscription. In 1106 the relics of Saint Geminianus were transferred to the new sanctuary, and the project entered a long phase of construction.
  2. 1106–1150Modena Cathedral · Emilia-RomagnaAfter 1106 the nave, aisles, and sculptural decoration continued to advance, and the site became a point of dissemination for Lombard Romanesque technique and imagery. The work of this period was not yet finished, but the cathedral was already in use as the center of city worship and communal identity.
  3. 1184Modena Cathedral · Emilia-RomagnaThe cathedral was formally consecrated in 1184. Ancillary works such as the Ghirlandina bell tower were completed afterward. Modern restoration has made its Romanesque facade and Wiligelmo's reliefs a benchmark for studying 11th–12th-century Italian sculpture.

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