Interior
The interior of the cathedral has been redesigned and restored on several occasions. Its present grandiose interior is Neoclassical. The nave was enlarged in 1513 in the form of a Latin cross, and modified in the 16th century. The present appearance of the cathedral is attributable to the reconstruction by architect Giuseppe Piermarini (1734–1808) who removed earlier alterations. This local architect worked from the plans drawn by the architect and engineer Luigi Vanvitelli. Of the ancient Romanesque church, only the crypt remains. The cathedral was modified again at the beginning of the 20th century.
Among the most important works of art in the cathedral is the Chapel of the Sacrament by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (1527). Vespasiano Strada and Baldassare Croce painted in this chapel two large frescoes depicting the life of San Feliciano. This saint is also represented by an elaborate silver statue. The canvases on the side walls date from the 13th - 19th centuries. The large fresco of Angela of Foligno in the apse dates from 1719 and is the work of Francesco Mancini (1679–1758). Among the other works of art are a Crucifixion, painting on wood by Niccolò Alunno and two busts of Roscioli spouses by Antonio Canova. The gilded Baroque baldachin over the main altar, built in the 18th century by Antonio Calcioni for the benefit of the family Salvi Roscioli, is a faithful reproduction of Bernini's baldacchino in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The arms of the Roscioli family appear at the base of the columns.
Twenty-six stucco statues of saints, the work of Brunelli and Ottaviani, are ranged in niches along the walls.
The elegant dome was added to the cathedral during the period 1543-1548 by the architect and woodworker Giuliano di Baccio d'Agnolo and Cola di Caprarola.
The upper part of the bell tower of the cathedral was renovated in 1847 by the architect Vitali, while the lower part is still original. Inside the campanile is the cell where the Blessed Pietro Crisci lived, decorated with frescoes from the 15th century.
It was in this cathedral that Angela of Foligno made her confession to the Franciscan Brother Arnaldo. This was a turning point in her life, as she embarked on the way of penance. Brother Arnaldo later became the writer of her revelations in the Book of Visions and Instructions.
During the 1997 earthquake, the cathedral suffered heavy damage, including the detachment of the façade.
Read more about this topic: Foligno Cathedral
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