Cattedrale di San Pietro Apostolo

Senigallia's Cathedral of San Pietro Apostolo faces Piazza Garibaldi beside the bishop's palace. Its eighteenth-century architecture, later facade and collection of sacred art reflect repeated rebuilding and restoration.

Why it matters

The cathedral combines the history of the local diocese with the artistic patronage of bishops and of the Senigallia-born Pope Pius IX. Paintings and an early Christian sarcophagus extend its cultural history beyond the date of the present building.

What to notice

Corinthian supports and a dome articulate the classical interior. Alessandro Tiarini's Assumption, Federico Barocci's Rest on the Flight into Egypt and Domenico Corvi's image of San Paolino form important elements of the painted decoration. The chapel of the Madonna della Speranza belongs to a later nineteenth-century phase. The sarcophagus associated with San Gaudenzio preserves an older sculptural tradition.

Context and history

The cathedral was built to Paolo Posi's design under Bishop Bernardino Honorati and consecrated in 1790. Pius IX funded the facade completed in 1877 to Augusto Innocenti's design. Earthquakes, including those of 1930 and 1997, required major repairs. Restoration following the latter earthquake led to the cathedral's reopening in March 2002.