The Cathedral of Pistoia

The Cathedral of Pistoia was built around the twelfth and thirteenth centuries on a pre-existing sixteenth-century church first entitled to Saint Martin and then to Saint Zeno.

The facade of the Cathedral shows a fouteenth-century porch and three orders of galleries.

The vault of the middle arch is embellished with earthenware decorations by Andrea della Robbia (1435-1525) who made also the bass-relief portraying a Madonna with the Child between two angels placed on the lunette of the central door.

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Inside the belfry tower, 67 metres high, were built around XIV-th century three floors of galleries with two-colored bands.

The Cathedral has three aisles divided by columns and pillars surmounted by capitals.

In the right aisle there is the funerary monuments of Gino da Pistoia (called also Saint Jacopo's altar) that represents one of the mayor works of the Italian goldsmith's art with 628 chasing pictures, whose realization contributed also Brunelleschi (1377-1446).

From the later door it is possible to enter the ancient Cappella del Giudizio (Chapel's Judgement) where it is possible to admire some frescoes by Giovanni del Ponte portraying the Final Judgement.