Modena Cathedral

Modena Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in the Romanesque style in the Italian city of Modena. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Modena - Nonantola and was ordained in 1184. The cathedral is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Europe and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

History

The old Modena ( Mutina ) was a flourishing Roman colony on the Via Emilia, which was after the 4th century almost completely destroyed by invasions, earthquakes and floods, and gradually fell into disrepair. The inhabitants were forced to leave the city and elsewhere (now Cittanova, a suburb of Modena) to settle. Towards the end of the 9th century, Modena but was rebuilt and fixed under Bishop Ludovicus.

The two built since the 5th century on the site of the present cathedral churches were both destroyed. In the mid-11th century the first church was replaced by a larger, but was soon no longer big enough, so that people decided towards the end of the century, to build a new church. As a result of a dispute between the Papacy and the Empire, the bishop Eriberto was in 1081 by Pope Gregory VII because of his sympathy for the Emperor Henry IV ( Canossa ) and the anti-pope Clement III. excommunicated. However, since the Pope could not find a candidate who could accept the people of Modena, the diocese remained for some years without a bishop. It was only in 1100, Pope Urban II, a new bishop. At this time, the inhabitants of Modena but had already decided without the participation of a bishop to build a large new cathedral and had already started the construction work. The completely independent in the decision taken by the inhabitants of Modena from the imperial and ecclesiastical authority decision was indicative of the pursuit of self-determination and freedom in Modena. The cathedral was the symbol of the right to autonomy and freedom of a community and led some time later establishing a free commune (1135 ).

Work on the present cathedral began in 1099 under the direction of the architect Lanfranco. The first stone was with the support of Matilda of Tuscany ( Matilda of Canossa ) laid on 9 May 1099 one of the most powerful women in the 11th and 12th centuries in northern Italy. On a plaque outside the main apse May 23, 1099 is given as the date of the formation of the new cathedral in Modena and also the name of the architect Lanfranco.

The cathedral was built by Pope Lucius III. consecrated on July 12, 1184. The cathedral was completed, however, until the year 1322.

The cathedral is (349) and patron of the city named after the Bishop of Modena: San Geminianus. His remains were transferred in 1106 to the crypt of the new Cathedral in the presence of Pope Paschal II and Countess Matilda of Tuscany solemnly from his grave in the old church.

Further, in the Cathedral Duke Ercole III. d' Este buried, his tomb was created by the sculptor Giuseppe Pisani 1808.

Architecture

The Cathedral of Modena is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Europe, but also includes elements from other eras such as the Gothic and the Renaissance. It consists of two parts: the church ( duomo ) and the bell tower ( campanile ). The tower is named Ghirlandina and is about 86 meters high. The typical for Italy free-standing (ie, not directly connected with the church) bell tower was begun in 1169 in the Romanesque style, and later completed with a Gothic spire, designed by Arrigo da Campione (14th century). It is named after two of the Ghirlandina garland -like marble railings in the spire. The five-storey Ghirlandina is a landmark of the city.

Inside the tower, a copy of the painting Secchia rapita is kept in the Sala della Secchia, which is decorated with frescoes of the 15th century. The image is reminiscent of the time when in the tower of the church valuables were stored. The capitals are carved on the 5th floor in the Stanza dei Torresani.

The outer walls of the church are marked by white marble stones, between the mix reddish and gray stones, thus indicating a mixed and varied appearance. The reason for this is probably that were used for the construction of the Cathedral materials from the ruins of Roman buildings. This marble -clad brick facade is broken by typical Romanesque style elements such as dwarf galleries and arcades. The magnificent Gothic rose window on the side of the main portal and the two patch turrets and the two rather simple side portals created stonemasons from Campione. The workers from the northern Italian town near Lugano on Lake Como been involved for generations in the construction work and the cathedral could finish 1322.

The facade of the cathedral has remarkable reliefs, probably by the sculptor Wiligelmus, a contemporary of Lanfranco. These reliefs include portraits of prophets and patriarchs, but also biblical stories, and make masterpieces of Romanesque sculptures dar. scientists would like to point to the representation of Adam and Eve, original sin and the story of Noah.

The interior of the cathedral is divided into three long ships, but has no transept, so it is not built in the typical shape of a cross. The altar with the overhanging golden cross is at the end of the nave, behind him is an apse that has been created in two levels. In the lower part of the apse is the crypt where the relics of St. Geminianus rest in a sarcophagus, which is secured by a glass vault. In addition, there are several benches and a prayer altar. Above the crypt in the upper part of the apse of the choir, a typical arrangement in Romanesque churches. Between the nave and the crypt is a body set up by Anselmo da Campione parapet of marble, on which the Passion of Christ, including the Last Supper is shown. The pulpit is by Arrigo di Campione, and is decorated with sculptures made of terracotta.

Between 1437 and 1455 the original timber framing were hidden under vaulted ceilings. In the 18th century the central apse of the crypt was changed. Thanks to a donation from the walls were lined with rare and precious marble. In addition, the vaults were rebuilt and decorated with stucco and other materials. On this occasion, a new and valuable urn for the relics of the saint was made ​​and the altar was framed by a marble balustrade.

Other important measures of soil were in the late 19th to early 20th century changed the dome removed and the church connected to the sacristy, which also received a new elevated walkway in the Romanesque style on this occasion.

More recently, three bronze doors were used at the portals. These doors were not supported by the majority of citizens, as they were considered too modern and there is no harmony to the facade. After a quarrel and national art critic the chapter led eventually to replace the bronze doors again through wooden doors.

Organs

In the cathedral there are two organs. On the one located in the cathedral a small mechanical instrument from 1719, built by Giandomenico Traeri. The organ has 5 tabs ( Principale 8 ', VIII -XV, XIX, XV- XXII and XXII -XXVI on a manual) and has an attached pedal.

The main organ was built in 1934 by the organ builder Vegezzi Bossi. The instrument has 38 stops on two manuals and pedal. The tracker action is electro- pneumatic.

  • Pairing: Pairing normal, sub and Superoktavkoppeln

Special Events

In November 1938, the publisher Angelo Fortunato Formiggini plunged in despair at the anti-Semitic legislation of the Italian government from the bell tower of the cathedral.

On 8 September 2007, the funeral of the famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti was held at the Cathedral of Modena. Approximately 100,000 people attended from 6th to September 8, 2007 Farewell to Pavarotti, who was laid out in an open coffin. The world's televised funeral mass Archbishop Benito Cocchi leave a condolence words of Pope Benedict XVI. Musically, the memorial service by the choir of the city of Modena, accompanied by soprano Raina Kabaiwanska, the flutist Andrea Griminelli and tenor Andrea Bocelli.

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