Sarzana Cathedral

Sarzana Cathedral, officially known as the Co-cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta of Sarzana, is a significant ecclesiastical building located in Sarzana, Liguria, Italy. It functions as a co-cathedral within the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

History and Construction

The history of Sarzana Cathedral is marked by a lengthy construction period, commencing in 1204 and concluding in 1474. This extended timeframe resulted in a notable architectural synthesis of Romanesque and Gothic styles. The cathedral was established on the site of the earlier pieve of San Basilio. Its construction as the seat of the Bishop of Luni followed the transfer of the bishopric to Sarzana, with the bishopric eventually being renamed after Sarzana in 1465. The current diocesan structure, the Diocese of La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato, was formed in 1929, incorporating the former Diocese of Sarzana.

Architectural Features

The cathedral's design is characterized by its Romanesque-Gothic aesthetic. The west front is adorned with white marble, featuring a portal surmounted by a small Gothic rose window, flanked by 17th-century side blocks. The campanile, a battlemented structure to the south, is the sole remaining element of the ancient Pieve di San Basilio. Internally, the church follows a Latin cross plan with a nave divided into three aisles by arcades of widely spaced polygonal columns supporting high arches. The central nave leads to the choir and apse, while the side aisles each culminate in a chapel, all covered by cupolas. Additional side chapels were added to the nave and transept wings in the late 17th century. The wooden panelled ceiling was carved by Pietro Giambelli between 1662 and 1670.

Relics and Artworks

Sarzana Cathedral is renowned for housing several important relics and works of art. It is home to a relic of St. Andrew and a relic of the Blood of Christ, preserved in the Chapel of the Most Precious Blood. A significant artistic treasure is the Cross of Maestro Guglielmo, dated 1138, which is the oldest dated Tuscan crucifix and a crucial piece of Romanesque painting. The cathedral also contains artworks by Francesco Solimena, Renaissance sculptures by Leonardo and Francesco Riccomanni, a terracotta attributed to the school of Luca Della Robbia, and marble busts by Giovanni Baratta. The apse features a Baroque composition known as the Glory of the Virgin, and other 17th-century sculptures are found in the Chapel of Saint Augustine by Giovanni Antonio Cybei. Domenico Fiasella contributed several notable paintings, including the 'Glory of the Most Precious Blood' and the 'Massacre of the Innocents'.