Concattedrale della Santissima Annunziata (Duomo di Todi)

Todi's Cathedral of the Annunciation rises above Piazza del Popolo on a monumental staircase. Its Romanesque apse, Renaissance rose window and later paintings preserve different stages of the church's development.

Why it matters

The cathedral forms the religious counterpart to the civic palaces around the square. It is the co-cathedral of the Diocese of Orvieto-Todi, retaining the historic identity of Todi's episcopal church.

What to notice

The rose window was made between 1515 and 1523, with stained glass added in the nineteenth century. On the counter-facade, Ferraù da Faenza's Last Judgment of 1596 reflects the influence of Michelangelo. Carved wooden door panels by Antonio Bencivenni add another Renaissance element. Medieval sculptures preserved in the crypt include works attributed to Giovanni Pisano.

Context and history

The church developed from the twelfth through the fourteenth century on a site containing Roman remains. Bishop Angelo Cesi promoted major alterations after 1566, including new painted decoration. The staircase dates to 1740. Further nineteenth-century work added another layer to a building whose appearance reflects repeated transformation rather than one construction campaign.