Cathedral of Saint Emygdius (Cattedrale di Sant'Emidio)

The Cathedral of Sant 'Emidio is the main church of Ascoli Piceno, the first construction of which is very likely from around AD 400. The interior of the basilica was redesigned around 1530 together with a new facade and is full of special and extraordinary works of art. Below the sanctuary is the crypt in which the relics of St. Emidio are kept. Overall, this church is very worth seeing, as it is something special due to its magnificent and special equipment and shape. The two towers and the facade are - like so many "public" buildings from this time - made of travertine, many furnishings - especially those of particular importance such as figures of saints - made of marble. Unfortunately, the basilica is not always open to visitors, I was just lucky that a wedding took place here shortly before my visit and the sacristan allowed me to take a short tour of the church after the ceremony outside of the actual opening times - a small donation had to be made, of course 😇 🤫

The cathedral as a whole is rich in works of artistic and historical importance, but the crypt whose ceilings are being restored is bringing to light a vast pictorial cycle dating back to the thirteenth century. Furthermore, in some volutes of the ceiling it is now possible to admire the stratifications of frescoes from the oldest containing only flowers and eight-pointed stars, to the sinopias used to fresco and to the subsequent completed frescoes.

In the eleven-nave crypt there are spolia from the Romanesque period as well as baroque modifications. In an altar consisting of a Roman sarcophagus, the relics of St. Emidius is buried, the patron saint of the city. The plastic depiction of the baptizing saint behind is dated 1718.