Duomo di Massa (Cattedrale dei Santi Pietro e Francesco)

Massa’s cathedral began as the church of an Observant Franciscan convent and became the city’s cathedral in 1822. The former ducal chapel holds the tombs of the Cybo-Malaspina family, and the church contains works by Pinturicchio, Carlo Maratta and Adeodato Malatesta.

Why it matters

The church’s changing role reflects the history of Massa. The first stone was laid in 1477; after the ancient church of San Pietro was demolished in 1807, the Franciscan church inherited its title. A papal bull established Massa as a bishop’s seat in 1822, and the building became its cathedral. It was named a minor basilica in 1964.

What to notice

The 1675 ducal chapel and sepulchre were commissioned by Alberico II for the Cybo-Malaspina family. Among the works preserved in the cathedral are a Madonna and Child attributed to Pinturicchio, paintings by Carlo Maratta and Luigi Garzi, and a San Francesco by Adeodato Malatesta. A wooden crucifix brought from Luni in the early thirteenth century and a baptismal font by Riccomanni of Pietrasanta add earlier layers. The marble façade, designed by Cesario Fellini and decorated with mosaics by Giulio Castaman, dates from 1927–36.

Context and history

The convent was authorized in 1460, and work on the church began in 1477. Following the 1807 demolition of the older duomo of San Pietro, the Franciscan church assumed its title and later became the cathedral under the 1822 papal bull. An enlargement campaign ran from 1837 to 1889; later additions include the marble façade and the 1972 presbytery works.