Basilica of San Domenico

The Basilica of San Domenico is a Gothic church in Arezzo, located in the homonymous square, in the northern part of the historical center of the city.

SHORT HISTORY

The church was built in Romanesque style starting with 1275, and completed in the 14th century.

Important changes inside the church were made in the second part of the 16th century, when new altars were added and the frescoed walls were painted white.

In 1782, after the reform of religious orders in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the church was abandoned until the beginning of the 20th century.

During the restoration works from the 1920s, the altars added in the 16th century were removed, and the frescoes of the 13th and 14th centuries were recovered.

The construction of the porch in front of the entrance was completed in 1936 on a project by Giuseppe Castellucci. The porch was built to protect the fresco in the lunette above the entrance door.

ARCHITECTURE

The asymmetrical facade, in masonry, includes a bell-gable with two bells.

The interior of the church, with a single nave and a trussed roof, takes light from 12 single-light windows. As you approach the apse, the distance between windows decreases, thus giving a greater sense of depth to the interior.

ART

The church is famous for housing the wooden crucifix painted by Cimabue, considered one of the masterpieces of 13th century.

On the internal wall of the facade, there is a fresco depicting Life of Saints Phillip, James the Minor and Catherine by Spinello Aretino. On the right side of the internal wall of the facade, is the Crucifixion by his son, Parri Spinelli, with Christ between the Virgin and Saint Nicholas on one side, and Saints John and Dominic on the other.

The Dragomanni Chapel has a Gothic structure with an altar in black stone sculpted by Giovanni di Francesco from Florence, and a fresco by Luca di Tommè from Siena.

In the lunette above the entrance door, there is a fresco by Angelo di Lorentino depicting the Madonna and Child between Saint Dominic and Saint Donatus.

HOW TO GET THERE

The Basilica of Saint Dominic is located about 1.2 kilometers away from the Arezzo railway station. The closest bus stop is right in front of the church, on the bus Line CS2.