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Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo di Pienza)

Pienza Cathedral

Pope Pius II's commission, Bernardo Rossellino's design, a travertine facade and a hall-church interior.

Photograph · Concattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo di Pienza)

At a glance

Pienza Cathedral facts that matter

Names, makers, dates, and context before the story opens up.

Italian nameConcattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo di Pienza)
What it isChurch
WherePienza, Tuscany
Known forPope Pius II's commission, Bernardo Rossellino's design, a travertine facade and a hall-church interior.
PeriodRenaissance, with a hall-church interior reference, 1459
MakerBernardo Rossellino

The story

What you're looking at

Pienza Cathedral is the Co-cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, commonly called the Duomo di Pienza. It stands on Piazza Pio II as part of Pope Pius II's Renaissance transformation of the town. Commissioned by Pius II and designed by Bernardo Rossellino, it was built in 1459–62 and consecrated on 29 August 1462. The cathedral is within the UNESCO World Heritage property Historic Centre of the City of Pienza, not the separate Val d'Orcia property and not a separately inscribed site.

The co-cathedral is a principal monument in Pius II's Renaissance redesign of Pienza, with its 1459–62 construction and 1462 consecration documented by the cathedral authority.

Verified details

Each statement below is linked to the record or institution that supports it.

Pienza Cathedral is the Co-cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, commonly called the Duomo di Pienza. It stands on Piazza Pio II as part of Pope Pius II's Renaissance transformation of the town.1,2

Commissioned by Pope Pius II and designed by Bernardo Rossellino, the church was built in 1459–62 and consecrated on 29 August 1462. Its travertine facade has three divisions corresponding to the interior and bears the Piccolomini arms; inside, a Latin-cross plan has three equal-height aisles in a hall-church reference informed by northern-European models.1,2

Pienza Cathedral is within the UNESCO World Heritage property Historic Centre of the City of Pienza, inscribed in 1996 as property 789. It is not separately inscribed and must not be assigned to the separate Val d'Orcia World Heritage property.3,4

Sources and citations (4)
  1. Fabbriceria della Concattedrale di Santa Maria AssuntaI luoghiChurch identityRead source
  2. Comune di PienzaPiano di gestione sito UNESCOPius II urban projectRead source
  3. UNESCO World Heritage CentreHistoric Centre of the City of PienzaProperty 789Read source
  4. UNESCO World Heritage CentreVal d'OrciaSeparate-property distinctionRead source

Plan your visit

Before you go

Booking
Walk-up friendly
Maker
Bernardo Rossellino
Period
Renaissance, with a hall-church interior reference · 1459

Find it

Where to find Pienza Cathedral

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Reading

Stories from Tuscany

Long reads from our writers on the ground.

  1. The magazineItalian Art History: From Renaissance to Modern
  2. The magazineTuscany Travel Guide