Duomo Vecchio (Rotonda)

Brescia's Duomo Vecchio, commonly called the Rotonda, is a circular Romanesque cathedral beside the much later Duomo Nuovo. Its stone exterior, ring-shaped interior and crypt preserve successive layers of the city's religious history.

Why it matters

The Rotonda replaced an earlier cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Maggiore. Its centralised form distinguishes it from the more familiar longitudinal church plan. Medieval architecture, reused ancient material, episcopal monuments and Renaissance painting together reveal how the cathedral developed over centuries.

What to notice

Eight large pillars support the central dome above an encircling ambulatory. The red-marble sarcophagus of Bishop Berardo Maggi combines his funerary image with a scene of civic peace. Moretto's Assumption adds a major Renaissance painting to the interior. In the crypt of San Filastrio, varied columns and capitals demonstrate the reuse of older materials.

Context and history

The circular church dates to around the turn of the twelfth century. The crypt's history is associated with Bishop Ramperto's translation of Filastrio's relics in 838, although its fabric was subsequently altered. A bell tower collapsed in 1708. Luigi Arcioni's late-nineteenth-century restorations removed later additions to emphasise the building's medieval character.