June 9, 1099: the first stone of the cathedral was laid, and just seven years later, in the presence of Matilda of Canossa and Pope Paschal II, the remains of the patron saint, San Geminiano, were transferred there.

We will discover this magnificent example of Romanesque architecture which, together with the Ghirlandina tower and the square, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. We will admire the sculptures by the great Wiligelmo, which narrate the stories of Genesis on the façade, the Main Portal with its lion columns from the Roman necropolis, the Porta della Pescheria with the storey of King Arthur, and the

magnificent Regia di Piazza, made with precious Verona marble. Inside, numerous masterpieces will catch our eye: the Nativity scene by Antonio Begarelli, which here achieves a Raphaelesque grace; the Altarpiece of St. Sebastian by Dosso Dossi, one of his greatest works; the crypt, which, among its forest of columns, the remains of the patron saint and the Madonna della Pappa, a domestic scene by Guido Mazzoni; the presbytery with its precious inlaid choir by Lendinara and the Altar of the Statues, a grandiose terracotta polyptych by the master Michele da Firenze.

The tour will help you discover every detail of the cathedral, which, thanks to its beauty, has become an example and model of Romanesque architecture in all art history textbooks. We will visit the interior and exterior of Modena Cathedral.