Terre di Confine and the Facade of Orvieto Cathedral

Discovering Umbria was most kind to enlighten me about "Terre di confine" and I am thrilled to be writing this post at the time of it. Terre di confine is an initiative of cultural association Brumalia that encourages people to share their passion of two beautiful and very similar towns of Umbria: Todi and Orvieto. 

I will be highlighting about the façade of Orvieto's Cathedral (Duomo di Orvieto) that I visited this summer. 

Duomo di Orvieto

A quiet and prosperous town standing on a volcanic rock, Orvieto is home to the stunning Orvieto Cathedral. 

Enter this medieval town, also known as "city on a cliff", and you will be left transfixed from every angle.

Golden mosaics of the Duomo shining in the sun

Built to impress just like the Cathedral of Siena, the Duomo of Orvieto was believed to be initiated by Florentine architect- Arnolfo di Cambio in the 13th century. 

Biblical references on the façade

It took around 4 centuries to create this masterpiece with dramatic biblical references.

I was spellbound on seeing the Byzantine style of painting of the cathedral. There are symbols of ox, lion, eagle and angel on the façade and intricate golden mosaics. Three bronze doors guard the church. There is also the rose church window that is akin to the one in the Duomo of Florence.

The cathedral as seen from Torre del moro

The welcoming side of the cathedral

The Orvieto Cathedral is a gem in the quaint region of Umbria and one of the architectural sites that completely stands out and must not be missed. 

Alberto Satolli aptly describes the space around Duomo di Orvieto, "the aerial emptiness that wraps the building starting from the limited space that surrounds it is the transparent completion that enhances its architecture" 

Duomo di Orveito from a distance (Image Source: nothingcooler.com)

There will be more of Orvieto and its wonderful historic tram in the coming posts. For now, enjoy the pictures of the Duomo and be sure to tell me how you like them?

How to Reach- It is best to reach Orvieto by renting a car. However, there are also options of public transportation from everywhere- Rome's termini or Perugia's train station. Orvieto is only 90 minutes away from Rome. For more information check Trenitalia. To follow more on Terra di Confine check here.

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