Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Cosmatesque

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The outer walls are adorned with Cosmatesque mosaics.

The Basilica del Sepolcro is part of the "Basilica di Santo Stefano" known as "Sette Chiese" (= "Seven Churches") that encompasses a complex of interconnected religious edifices, erected between the 5th and the 13th century. Already within the 5th century Bishop Petronius built a "Holy Sepulchre" here, recalling the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem, consecrated in 335. Petronius´ church got severely damaged during the devastating invasions of Hungarian troops in the tenth century. The octogonal church got rebuilt a century later by Benedictian monks from red bricks. The outer walls are adorned with Cosmatesque mosaics.

The site, now occupied by the Duomo di Spoleto (aka "Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta"), was probably the place of an episcopal complex already in paleo-Christian times. In 956 here was the church "Santa Maria del Vescovado", that got replaced by another in 1067, dedicated to San Primiano. This church got destroyed by Barbarossa's troops, when they devastated Spoleto. The construction of the Spoleto Cathedral begun before 1175 and was completed in 1227. At that time, the cathedral was a Romanesque building. But from 1638, when the Baroque style got en vogue, the interior was significantly modified. The floor of the nave was not changed and still has a Cosmatesque design.