Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta

Reggio Emilia's Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta combines a medieval structure with Renaissance sculpture, later chapels and contemporary liturgical furnishings. Its unfinished facade makes the different phases of the building particularly evident.

Why it matters

The cathedral preserves the city's episcopal history through successive rebuilding campaigns rather than a single architectural moment. The crypt, sculptural decoration and chapels reveal changing forms of religious patronage over many centuries.

What to notice

The portal figures of Adam and Eve are by Prospero Sogari, known as il Clemente. Above, a copper Madonna and Child with donors is associated with Bartolomeo Spani. The crypt's forest of columns contrasts with the larger spaces of the church above. Among the chapel paintings is Guercino's Assumption, while the Toschi Chapel forms a rich later decorative ensemble.

Context and history

The cathedral has early medieval origins and underwent major changes during the Romanesque and Renaissance periods. Sixteenth-century work transformed the facade without completing its upper part. A further chapter came with the liturgical adaptation of 2010, including works by Claudio Parmiggiani, Jannis Kounellis, Hidetoshi Nagasawa and Ettore Spalletti.