Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Spolia

Minturnae (today Minturno) was a regionally important port and trading center in Roman times. The large archaeological excavation site with the remains of temples, thermal baths and an amphitheater lies south of today's city. San Pietro Apostolo was built around the 9th century as an extension of a previous building, probably from the 4th-5th century. century, erected. The church was then rebuilt in the 12th century and remodeled in the 16th and 18th centuries. It is known that the inhabitants used the Roman ruins as a quarry for centuries to gain building materials. Spolia can also be found here in the church. These two parts of the pulpit seem to be spolia.

The construction of the "Duomo" began in 1064 by the architect Busketo, who with this structure set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. When the construction of this cathedral started, Pisa was on a height of political (and financial) power. Pisa was an important commercial centre controlling large parts of the Mediterranean merchant fleet and navy. In 1017 Pisa had militarily supported the Sardinian "Giudicati" (regional kings) to defeat Saracen troops in the north of Sardinia. Between 1030 and 1035, Pisa defeated rival towns in Sicily. In 1051–1052 admiral Jacopo Ciurini conquered Corsica. In 1063 admiral Giovanni Orlando, coming to the aid of the Norman Roger I, took Palermo from the Saracen. The gold treasure taken from the Saracens in Palermo allowed the Pisans to start the building of the cathedral - and all other building of the "Piazza del Duomo". But the victorious Pisans did not only bring gold back, when they looted an area. They dismantled complete buildings and shipped the marble home, to be used here. So there are a lot of inscriptions and even carvings all around the duomo, that once have been somewhere else - and are kind of "senseless" here. Just spolia.

The construction of the "Duomo" began in 1064 by the architect Busketo, who with this structure set the model for the distinctive Pisan Romanesque style of architecture. When the construction of this cathedral started, Pisa was on a height of political (and financial) power. Pisa was an important commercial centre controlling large parts of the Mediterranean merchant fleet and navy. In 1017 Pisa had militarily supported the Sardinian "Giudicati" (regional kings) to defeat Saracen troops in the north of Sardinia. Between 1030 and 1035, Pisa defeated rival towns in Sicily. In 1051–1052 admiral Jacopo Ciurini conquered Corsica. In 1063 admiral Giovanni Orlando, coming to the aid of the Norman Roger I, took Palermo from the Saracen. The gold treasure taken from the Saracens in Palermo allowed the Pisans to start the building of the cathedral - and all other building of the "Piazza del Duomo". But the victorious Pisans did not only bring gold back, when they looted an area. They dismantled complete buildings and shipped the marble home, to be used here. So there are a lot of inscriptions and even carvings all around the duomo, that once have been somewhere else - and are kind of "senseless" here. Actually these are kind of graffiti.