The Duomo of Orvieto

by Cyndi on July 1st, 2008

This is the structure that makes Orvieto one of the true artistic gems of small towns. Orvieto was the temporary residence of the pope in the mid 13th century when conflict in Rome caused a need for flight. The Duomo is unusually fine for a town of this size, mostly because it houses an alter cloth that was stained by blood when the Host began bleeding in a nearby town.

The Duomo sparkles in full sun like nothing you can imagine as you come around the corner. Many of the columns and other parts of the facade are overlaid with gold. My pictures couldn’t capture the glare!

The relief sculptures on the facade are some of the best I’ve ever seen, with scenes depicting Creation, the life of Christ, the Prophets, and the last days. Here’s an example of one of the scenes, this one being the creation of Eve. That’s her, being pulled right from Adam’s side: