Duomo di Ascoli Piceno (Cattedrale di Sant'Emidio)

Ascoli Piceno's cathedral stands on Piazza Arringo and is dedicated to Sant'Emidio, the city's patron. Medieval structures, a Renaissance facade and later decoration preserve successive phases of its religious and artistic history.

Why it matters

The cathedral connects the cult of Emidio with major works commissioned for the city's principal church. Devotion to the saint includes the belief in his protection against earthquakes.

What to notice

Cola dell'Amatrice's facade draws on the form of a triumphal arch. Inside, three aisles and octagonal piers frame the principal spaces. Carlo Crivelli's polyptych, signed and dated 1473, depicts the Madonna and Child with saints, including Emidio. A silver altar front narrates episodes from the life of Christ. Carved wooden choir stalls and later painted decoration add further periods of craftsmanship.

Context and history

The cathedral has early Christian origins and was substantially rebuilt in the Middle Ages. A campaign beginning in 1482 altered the aisles and apse. The facade followed between 1529 and 1539. Cesare Mariani's late-nineteenth-century frescoes added another interpretation of the patron saint's story to this long-established church.