Piazza del Popolo in Todi with the Romanesque Cathedral, the staircase, and the bell tower, surrounded by historic buildings.
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Todi Cathedral

The cathedral of Todi, dedicated to Maria Santissima Annunziata (Most Holy Mary of the Annunciation), is the symbolic heart of this beautiful Umbrian town.

The building, together with the square in front and the access staircase, forms an artistic and architectural ensemble of great impact and beauty, allowing us to embark on a true journey through time.

The current structure, likely built in the 12th century, was probably erected over earlier constructions dating back to the Roman era. Construction continued in the 13th century but was only completed in the 14th century with the addition of a fourth nave, smaller than the previous ones, probably built in place of an external portico. In 1566, the distinguished prelate Angelo Cesi was appointed bishop of Todi. He initiated a series of significant restoration works, affecting both the structural and decorative aspects of the building. In particular, Bishop Cesi commissioned frescoes for the apse (now lost) and on the counter-façade, painted by Ferraù Fenzoni, as well as the construction of the family chapel to the left of the apse.

Further works on the building commenced in 1851 under the direction of the Roman architect Francesco Fontana.

Exterior

The cathedral is accessed via a monumental staircase built in 1740, offering a splendid view over the square from the top.

The 13th-century façade, with a horizontal crowning in perfect Lombard style, was modified several times, the last in the early 16th century. At the top, the magnificent central rose window, created between 1515 and 1523, stands out. Its original glass panes were replaced during the 19th-century renovation of the entire building with the present ones by Francesco Moretti, based on designs by Eliseo Fattorini and Giuseppe Francisci.

The main portal is decorated with a band featuring acanthus scrolls, culminating in the centre with the figure of Christ in blessing.

Noteworthy is the carved wooden door, whose four upper panels, made of walnut wood, are the work of Antonio Bencivenni da Mercatello, depicting the Annunciate Virgin, the Archangel Gabriel, St Peter, and St Paul. The six lower panels, made of oak wood, were instead crafted by Carlo Lorenti, commissioned by Bishop Ulderico di Carpegna to replace the original ones, which had been damaged. On the right side of the building, the 14th-century bell tower stands prominently.

The façade features three portals, each providing access to the corresponding nave.

Façade of Todi Cathedral in light-coloured stone with a central rose window, decorated portal, and bell tower, under a clear sky.

Façade of Todi Cathedral

Detail of the Gothic rose window of Todi Cathedral, featuring intricate stone-carved motifs against a backdrop of light-coloured stone walls.

Detail of the rose window

Stone-carved baptismal font in Todi Cathedral, with Gothic details, arched columns, and a decorated stained-glass window in the background.

Baptismal font

Interior

The interior follows a Latin cross plan, with a raised transept ending in a semi-circular apse.

The Gothic altar dates back to 1343; it was modified and enriched with marble columns in 1574. Above it hangs a chandelier featuring a double-headed eagle in a silver sheet, crafted by Giovanni Giardini. Suspended above the high altar is a beautiful Crucifix from the Umbrian school, dating to the 13th century.

To the left of the presbytery is the Cesi Chapel, whose vault was frescoed by Ferraù da Faenza, known as Il Faenzone. The same artist painted the most striking fresco in the cathedral: the majestic Last Judgement on the counter-façade, inspired by Michelangelo’s models, completed in 1596.

The right nave opens through Gothic arches on octagonal columns into a fourth nave, divided into seven chapels, which house numerous works of art: the fresco of the Nativity, by an unknown Perugian master; the stained glass window depicting the Baptism of Christ, a copy after Perugino made in 1860 by Eliseo Fattorini; the panel of the Madonna and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Roch, executed around 1516 by Giannicola di Paolo. The left nave wall hosts five altarpieces commissioned by Cardinal Cesi from Ferraù da Faenza between 1597 and 1599.

The crypt houses three highly interesting sculptures from the façade, depicting a Madonna and Child, an Angel guiding a Bishop, and a Saint. The first two are attributed to Giovanni Pisano, while the third is attributed to the sculptor Rubeus.

From the staircase leading to the crypt, it is also possible to access the long corridor that houses the Cathedral Treasury and other sacred artworks.

The birth of the basilisk

To complete your visit, we recommend taking a walk outside along the apse, which is the best-preserved part of the medieval structure. Here, you can admire four intriguing decorative stone panels depicting the birth of the basilisk, the legendary creature believed to have the power to petrify any living being with a single glance. The sequence shows a rooster, from whose egg the strange creature is said to hatch, initially as a hybrid between a rooster and a dragon, as seen in another panel. Over time, it transforms into the basilisk, as depicted in the subsequent panels. Basilisks, griffins and other mythological creatures can also be found among the decorative columns of the apse, symbolising the fusion of themes and elements so cherished in the medieval world.

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