Duomo - Cattedrale di Santo Stefano e Santa Maria Assunta
The construction of the Cathedral of Pavia began in 1487, thanks to the Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, who proposed the project to Bramante. Over the years, it will pass Amadeo and Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono, that will bring changes to the original idea, while maintaining the crypt and the sacristy. Achieved in stages, the building goes to the design of Amadeo, who respects the initial idea of Bramante with a central plan and the facade aligned with the Civic Tower. The architectural solution for the dome is processed only in the nineteenth century by Carlo Maciachini, who developed also the facade (unfinished): set to a drum impressive, punctuated by a gallery. The interior has a Greek cross structure, each of the four arms is divided into three naves; the eight pillars supporting the dome have articulated forms, the capitals are Corinthian. Lit by tall windows, has an apse fresco in segments that converge on the image of the Assumption, to whom the church is dedicated. The altar is made of marble, while the chorus is wooden. The seventeenth-century reliquary contains the crown of thorns of Christ and it's framed by Baroque stucco with allegories of "Religion" and "Homeland." Who visit the Cathedral can avail the QR Code directly from smartphones, with data sheets and historical information.
