Information office (tourist office) is located in front of the Duomo in Orvieto. In addition to the map of the town, it's possible to get some guidebooks about Umbria region, entrance ticket to see frescoes of Luca Signorelli of the chapel in the Duomo, and ticket and reservation to visit the underground cave.
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At the information office in Orvieto, in addition to the town map, you can get also maps of Umbria region. If you're interested in visiting towns around Orvieto like Civita, Assisi and Todi in Umbria, here is very useful point to get information! (March 2007) |
| Opening Hours | Weekdays: 8:15-13:50,16:00-19:00 Weekends and national holidays: 10:00-13:00,15:00-18:00 |
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| Closed day | NO | |
| Phone number | 0763.341772 | |
| Main service | ||
| Map of Orvieto (free) Hotel list (free) Umbria Guide (free) Chapel of St. Brizio + Museum (5 euros) Visit to underground cave (2 euros) |
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Duomo of Orvieto is a really majestic building. Its construction was started on 13th November 1290 on the site of the old church. There is a legend saying that around 1293, when the people was attending Mass in the church of St. Christine from Bolsena, the blood of Christ started to drip from bread and began coloring the holy linen cloth with blood. Having heard of this miracle, the Pope Urbano IV, who was staying at the time in Orvieto ordered to move this holy linen. Shortly thereafter, the construction of the Duomo was started to conserve this relic.
It took three centuries. In total 33 architects, 152 sculptors, 68 painters and 90 mosaic masters collaborated to complete this cathedral.
The main architect was Lorenzo Maitani, a famous architect and sculptor of Siena at that time. He was entrusted to command at the beginning of 1300, and with his remarkable talent, the timeless architectural masterpiece was born. Maitani considered the front facades of the Duomo as triptych and put beautiful mosaic pictures. Now the Duomo of Orvieto is world-renowned as one of the most important Gothic architectures with three spires.
This wonderful front facades are covered with bass-relief decorations and main entrance has four pillars and three bronze doors.
Each bass-relieve of the column has its theme.
First pillar from the left: Scene of the Old Testament and the origin of the world and human
Second pillar: Scene of the Old Testament and prophets
Third pillar: Scene of the Testament (Life of Christ)
The fourth pillar: The Last Judgement
The three bronze doors were created by Emilio Greco, one of the famous sculptor of the 20th century.
At the right transept of the Duomo, there is a chapel of St. Brizio, which is decorated with frescoes of Luca Signorelli. These series of wall paintings are one of the best masterpieces in the Italian art history. It's said that he was a pioneer before Fra Angelico and Michelangelo.
Signorelli began his work for this chapel in 1499. Taking over the work left by his predecessor, he started also his own paintings and completed a great masterpiece with a rich sense of color and expression together. According to the literature, as a reward for this work, he received not only house and money but also white wines of Orvieto (1,000 liters per year).
The main theme of these frescoes painted on the ceiling and walls is "Last Judgement". The figures are related to this episode. The events of the Last Judgment fill the facing vault and the walls around the altar: Paradise, the Elect and the Condemned, Hell, the Resurrection of the Dead, and the Destruction of the Reprobate.
In particular, the most famous one is a rich colored and vivid representation of Dante's hell. The Damned Cast into Hell (pictured at left) is considered the most beautiful painting in the chapel of St. Brizio. There is a theory that the prostitute abducted by a demon in this scene shows Signorelli's lover who would had been abandoned later. It's interesting that all prostitutes have a same face.
There is a large pipe organ in the back wall of the left chapel of the magnificent Duomo of Orvieto. This organ is considered the largest example in Italy, Indeed it has in total 5500 pipes.