Cattedrale di San Feliciano

Foligno's Cathedral of San Feliciano is dedicated to the city's first bishop and martyr. Its Romanesque portals and neoclassical interior reflect centuries of rebuilding, while the crypt preserves the memory of the saint's burial place.

Why it matters

The cathedral stands at the centre of Foligno's civic and religious life. Tradition identifies the site with the burial place of San Feliciano, who was martyred under Emperor Decius. The Romanesque façade opening onto Piazza della Repubblica is a notable landmark of the city.

What to notice

The secondary façade, dated 1201, is attributed to the masters Rodolfo and Binello. Its portal has carved bands and a lunette with the date, zodiac signs and evangelical symbols. Inside, the wooden baldachin over the high altar dates to 1698. A mosaic of Christ enthroned between Saints Feliciano and Messalina, designed by Carlo Botti in 1904, crowns the principal façade.

Context and history

A church was built over the saint's tomb in the eleventh century. Rebuilding began in 1133 under Bishop Marco, and the Romanesque façade was completed in 1201. Luigi Vanvitelli and Giuseppe Piermarini reshaped the interior between 1772 and 1808. Earthquakes in 1832 and 1997 damaged the complex, prompting later rebuilding and restoration.