June 9, 1099: the foundation stone of the Duomo is laid. Just seven years later, in the presence of Matilde di Canossa and Pope Paschal II, the body of the patron saint San Geminiano will be transferred there.

We will explore this magnificent example of Romanesque architecture, which, along with the Ghirlandina and the square, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. We will be able to admire the sculptures by the great Wiligelmo that tell the stories of Genesis on the façade, the Main Portal with the column-bearing lions from the Roman necropolis, the Pescheria Gate with the events of King Arthur, and the

magnificent Regia di Piazza, made of precious Verona marble. Inside, numerous masterpieces will catch our eye: the Nativity scene with statuettes by Antonio Begarelli, which here achieves a Raphaelesque grace; the Altarpiece of San Sebastiano by Dosso Dossi, one of his finest works; the crypt which, among its forest of columns, houses the body of the patron saint and the Madonna della Pappa, a domestic scene by Guido Mazzoni; the presbytery with the precious inlaid choir by the Lendinara brothers and the Altar of the statuettes, a grandiose terracotta polyptych by the master Michele da Firenze.

The route will aim to let you discover every detail of the cathedral, which, due to its beauty, has become an example and model of the Romanesque in all Art History textbooks.

We will visit the Modena Cathedral inside and out