Piacenza Cathedral

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta e Santa Giustina
Piazza Duomo
Piacenza, May 2024

“The structure has a Latin cross basilica plan, with three naves and three bays. The naves are divided from each other by twenty-five massive cylindrical pillars and end with semi-cylindrical apses. The transept, whose axis is not perpendicular to that of the nave, is also divided into three naves. At the intersection between the nave and the transept is the octagonal dome inside which is the dome, decorated with seventeenth-century frescoes depicting the prophets, the work of Guercino and Morazzone. Some of the pillars were built by the paratici, the trade corporations, or by individual citizens. Seven of these have, as a signature, some small panels with the representation of the association's activity. The name of the paratico is also reported on the panel, written in Latin, almost as if to indicate ownership: Haec est columna furnariorum. In some cases the written signature reports not only the name of the paratico, but also the name of the citizen who sponsored its construction, such as Hugo tinctor or magister Johannes, the latter a cart builder.” (Duomo di Piacenza, Wikipedia)