Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo

Frascati Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle, stands on Piazza San Pietro at the centre of the town. The Greek-cross plan and Baroque façade belong to a building commissioned at the end of the sixteenth century and restored after the bombing of 1943.

Why it matters

The cathedral is the seat of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati and is identified as the fifth cathedral of the ancient Tuscolan see. Its history includes the patronage of Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York, whose gifts enriched the church, and the burial there of his brother Charles Edward Stuart before his remains were transferred to Rome.

What to notice

The façade uses peperino from the Frascati area and travertine from Tivoli. Its two bell towers have distinctive clocks: one marks twelve hours and the other six. Bernardino Cametti's marble relief above the central portal depicts Christ reproaching Peter for his lack of faith. Inside, the Greek-cross plan and three naves retain a restrained appearance following the wartime damage. A plaque in the left nave marks the first burial place of Charles Edward Stuart.

Context and history

Construction began in 1598 under Pope Clement VIII, to a design by Ottaviano Nonni, known as il Mascherino. The church opened for worship in 1610; the façade was completed later to designs by Girolamo Fontana. Henry Benedict Stuart became bishop of Frascati in 1761 and contributed vestments, silver and marble furnishings. After the 1943 bombing destroyed much of the town and damaged the cathedral, reconstruction restored the building in a simpler form. A new pipe organ by Bonizzi-Inzoli was installed in 2009.