Thanks to the images of our friend Gianni, we continue our visit to this splendid cathedral.
Unfortunately these beautiful images cannot render the atmosphere, the lights, and the suggestion of the building, which certainly deserves a non-virtual visit.

A bit of history:
The cathedral was built by will of the citizens.
In fact when in 1100 the new bishop, appointed by Pope Urban II, arrived in Modena, he found the building site already in activity.
A plaque reports the foundation in the year 1099 and indicates as master architect Lanfranco who arrived in Modena accompanied by the Comacine masters, Lombard stonemasons.
Lanfranco was then joined by the architect Wiligelmus but it seems that this collaboration led to some structural irregularities.
In 1167 Lanfranco and Wiligelmus were replaced by masters and workers from Campione d'Italia: the Campionesi.
In 1319 the spire of the bell tower, called the "Ghirlandina" was completed.
Various interventions followed one another over the years.
In the first decade of 2000, both the Cathedral and the bell tower underwent conservative restoration.

For more info:
Modena cathedral part 1/2
wikipedia: Duomo di Modena
wikipedia: la Ghirlandina
www.unesco.modena.it/en: cathedral
www.laguidadimodena.it/en: duomo of modena

Thanks to our friend Gianni Mazzoli for the permission of publishing his beautiful photos.