Many are the factors which make Orvieto one of the finest and most interesting towns in Italy: firstly, its glorious artistic heritage, including not only the glittering splendour of its Cathedral but also the remains of ancient civilizations such as that of the Etruscans and secondly, its incomparable position on a high plateau of tufa rock, rising over the surrounding countryside like an island emerging from an emerald sea. The town is typically medieval and this adds another picturesque and suggestive note to the whole.

The Cathedral is one of the most splendid achievements of medieval art in Italy: a majestic and unforgettable sight. The building of the Cathedral began at the end of the 13th century. The initial design was by Frà Bevignate da Perugia and later Uguccione da Orvieto.

The façade is an exceptional jewel of Gothic architecture. It has the form of a large richly -ornamented polyptych composed of many panels in which a series of sculptures, bas-reliefs and mosaics of the most varied subjects are harmoniously inserted. The polychromy of the different kinds of marble and the gilding of the mosaics are particularly striking: the whole façade seems to glitter and sparkle with their brilliance. The interior of the Cathedral is magnificent and full of masterpieces of painting and sculpture.

The Cathedral