Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta e San Geminiano (Duomo di Modena - Sito UNESCO)

A masterpiece of Romanesque style, Cathedral of Modena was built by the architect Lanfranco on the site of the tomb of San Geminiano, patron saint of Modena, where, since the fifth century, two churches had already been erected. In the crypt of the cathedral there are the holy relics preserved in a simple 4th century urn covered with a slab of stone and supported by columns of bare. The sarcophagus, kept in a crystal case, is opened every year on the occasion of the feast of the saint (31 January) and the saint's remains, covered with bishop's clothes next to the pastoral, are exposed to the devotion of the faithful. Next to the cathedral stands the bell tower called Ghirlandina. Cathedral of Modena, with Civic Tower and Piazza Grande of the city, has been included since 1997 in the list of Italian UNESCO World Heritage sites. The sculptures of Modena Cathedral are an integral part of the monumental complex and constitute the most important testimony of the revival of sculptural art in Italy. Like other great Romanesque or Gothic cathedrals, Modena Cathedral was called "Stone Bible" or "Bible of the poor", because with its symbols it allowed illiterate people to receive religious instruction.