Duomo

Lonely Planet review

The 12th-century Duomo combines Romanesque (lower half) and Gothic (upper half) styles and has some intriguing features. Look for the sculpture of Jonah and the whale on the south porch and the statues of two of Charlemagne's paladins, Roland and Oliver, on the west porch. In the first chapel of the left aisle is an Assunta (Assumption) by Titian. The cathedral was built on the site of earlier churches, built as long ago as the 5th century. As you penetrate the church this becomes evident.

Firstly though, your gaze will be drawn to the oval structure at the rear of the church that surround the choir stalls. It is a fresco-adorned marble structure done by Michele Sanmichele in the 16th century. The door below the 17th century organ leads to two adjoining buildings that were once separate churches. Straight ahead is the Chiesa di Sant'Elena, which contains some elements of an original 5th century basilica. The Battistero di San Giovanni in Fonte, out the back, features a beautifully sculpted, octagonal baptismal font that dates at least to the 12th century.