Pienza Cathedral restoration campaign concluded

It reopened on Saturday, after a long restoration campaign, the Cathedral of Pienza, which at 10 a.m. on April 9 was handed back to the citizenship at the end of the restoration work overseen by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility - Provveditorato Interregionale per le Opere Pubbliche Toscana - Marche - Umbria in Florence and by the Ministry of Culture - Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Siena, Grosseto and Arezzo, which also involved the Fabbriceria della Chiesa Cattedrale di Pienza.

The major restoration campaign was financed with MIT/MIBACT ministerial funds for a total amount of work of nearly 2 million euros, began in June 2019 and despite the difficult pandemic situation was completed several months ahead of schedule. The project and the preservation, maintenance, restoration and enhancement works mainly involved the completion of the renovation of the roof of the cathedral, as well as the structural consolidation of the bell tower and other works such as the consolidation and restoration of the stone facings of the facade, bell tower and all exterior facades, the consolidation and restoration of the decorations of all interior vaults in addition to the rebuilding of all systems, including those of the baptistery, including interior and exterior lighting, sound diffusion, atmospheric discharge protection, burglar alarm, video surveillance, fire detection and the electrostatic system of bird removal.

No less important was the complete overhaul of the monitoring system of the crack framework present in the Cathedral with the possibility now of remote control as well. With the contribution of the Fabbriceria del Duomo, it was also possible to carry out the cleaning of the columns, pilasters and interior walls, the restoration of the stoups, exterior doors and other wooden artifacts present in the cathedral.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, designed by Rossellino at the behest of Pius II, was consecrated in 1462. The imposing travertine facade, which seems almost to advance onto the square from the vast panorama of the Val d’Orcia, reflects the classical canons of Leon Battista Alberti’s architecture. The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross, has all the naves of the same height, following the model of the Hallenkirchen, which Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini had the opportunity to admire during his travels in northern Europe. Embellishing the interior are altarpieces commissioned by the Pope from the Sienese artists most in vogue in the mid-15th century.

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of Pienza

Pienza Cathedral restoration campaign concluded

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