Fossombrone Cathedral ( it, Cattedrale di Sant'Aldebrando or ''dei Santi Aldebrando e Agostino''; ''Duomo di Fossombrone'') is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

cathedral dedicated to Saint Aldebrandus and

Saint Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...

located in the Piazza Mazzini at the end of Corso Garibaldi in the center of the town of

Fossombrone Fossombrone is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Pesaro e Urbino, Marche, central Italy. History The ancient Roman colony of ''Forum Sempronii'' took its name from Gaius Sempronius Gracchus. Near the Furlo Pass, during the Gothic War (535 ...

in the province of Pesaro and Urbino in the region of Marche, Italy. Formerly the cathedral of the

Diocese of Fossombrone The Italian Catholic diocese of Fossombrone existed in the province of Pesaro and Urbino until 1986, when it was united into the diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola. It was a suffragan of the archdiocese of Urbino.

, since 1986 it has been a co-cathedral of the Diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola.

History

The church site was formerly that of a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

abbey. Between 1776 and 1784 the church was completely rebuilt in Neoclassical style, with the exception of the 15th-century

campanile A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell tower ...

, by the architect

Cosimo Morelli Cosimo Morelli (1732 – February 26, 1812) was an Italian architect, active throughout the Papal States in a Neoclassic style. Biography He was born at Imola. His father, also an architect, studied under Giovanni Domenico Trifogli, who was con ...

. It has a tall central façade with monumental columns supporting a triangular tympanum. The interior contains three naves with polychrome altars, made of marble and

scagliola Scagliola (from the Italian ''scaglia'', meaning "chips") is a type of fine plaster used in architecture and sculpture. The same term identifies the technique for producing columns, sculptures, and other architectural elements that resemble inlay ...

, designed by Nicola Vici. The altarpieces depict: the ''Madonna and Child with Saints Joseph and Francis'' and a ''Madonna and Child with St Anne'' by

Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri Giovanni Francesco Guerrieri (1589–1655) was an Italian painter and Caravaggisto. Guerrieri was born in Fossombrone. In 1606 he travelled to Rome where he studied under some notable artists including Orazio Gentileschi. Returning home in 1614 ...

; as well as a ''Madonna and Child with Saints Anne and Aldebrandus'' by

Claudio Ridolfi Claudio Ridolfi (1560–1644), also known as Claudio Veronese, was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period. Biography Ridolfi was born in Verona to a noble family. He was active mainly in Rome and Urbino where he was a pupil of the p ...

. The niches inside have bas-reliefs with images of the Virgin and Child, and Saints Aldebrandus, Peter, Paul, and Blaise. The organ was constructed in 1785 by Gaetano Callido, with a restoration in 1996–97.Turismo Marche
entry on church. In the first chapel on the left is a 14th-century fresco of the ''Madonna della Provvidenza'' by

Guido Palmerucci Guido Palmeruccio, also called Guiduccio Palmerucci (active 1315–1349), was an Italian painter, active in Gubbio. Biography Near nothing is known of his biography, and it is likely some of the works attributed to this painter belong to followe ...

. In the second chapel on the left is a ceramic depicting ''Santa Maria Goretti'' (1955) by Angelo Biancini, who also made the fourteen ceramic

Via Crucis The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imitati ...

plaques along the nave. Near the apse is the Chapel of the Madonna of the Rosary (''cappella Passionei'') with a polychrome marble altar and small canvases depicting the miracles of the Rosary painted in the 18th century. This chapel houses Guerrieri's canvas depicting the ''Virgin, Child and St Anne'' (1627). On the other side of the church, the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament was designed and completed in marble and scagliola by Eugenio Buffoni in the 19th century. The main altarpiece depicts the ''Holy Trinity'' by an unknown 18th-century painter. Beneath the altar, an urn contains the relics of St Aldebrandus, patron of the city. The sacristy has a sculpted

altarpiece An altarpiece is an artwork such as a painting, sculpture or relief representing a religious subject made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting o ...

(1480) made from sandstone by the sculptor

Domenico Rosselli Domenico Rosselli ( 1439 – 1498) was an Italian sculptor. Details of Rosselli's life are limited, but he seems to have trained in Florence. He is best known for his work on many of the friezes, sculpted doorways and decorative fireplaces in t ...

References

Churches in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino Roman Catholic churches in the Marche Cathedrals in the Marche Roman Catholic cathedrals in Italy 18th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1784 Neoclassical architecture in le Marche Neoclassical church buildings in Italy {{Italy-RC-church-stub