If you know me, you know I love a good cathedral and this one is pretty great. Orvieto is a gorgeous, perfect hill town crowned with this jewel of a church. Started in 1294 (!) it took 300+ years to build. There's plenty of art including spectacular frescos by Signorelli. When you look at the elaborate decor - inside and out- reflect that most of this is hand laid mosaic work. Incredible read more

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If you can only visit one place in Orvieto, the Duomo should be it! This strikingly beautiful 14th century cathedral is likely the crown jewel of the small mountain town. It has amazing statues (check out all 18 of them, including the two right in front of the altar-- the unbelievable Angel of the Annunciation and the Virgin of the Annunciation! ) masterpiece frescos, and stained glass windows so vibrant that they etch into your heart! For just 5 Euros (at this writing) the beauty and memory you get is simply out of this world. A true marvel !!! read more

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Nestled in a quaint little hill town, this duomo is spectacular. What is the difference between a cathedral and a Duomo? They are in fact one and the same! Duomo is an Italian word for cathedral, which is a Catholic church where the bishop resides. I would not like to live in a world without cathedrals. I need their beauty and grandeur. I need their imperious silence. I need it against the witless bellowing of the barracks yard and the witty chatter of the yes-men. I want to hear the rustling of the organ, this deluge of ethereal notes. I need it against the shrill farce of marches. Pascal Mercer read more

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The cathedral flagstone was laid on 13 November 1290 but work (reconstruction, redesign) continued into the 20th century. In fact, the beautiful bronze doors were added in 1970. The side walls, alternating layers of local white travertine and blue-grey basalt stone are a stark, but beautiful contrast to the glittering gold-accented front facade. Unfortunately, we could not enter the church owing to a funeral. A large rose window and golden mosaics, and a wealth of sculpture festoon the front. The cathedral has five bells, dating back to the Renaissance. read more

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The duomo is a beautiful cathedral we visited in Orvieto on the greenline tour on the way to Assisi. It's costs 4 euros per person to enter. Given our limited time in the town hubby & I decided not to enter the duomo so that we could have more time looking at the souvenir shops. We did appreciate the outside of the cathedral however & if we'd had more time would have gone inside. Note that to reach the Duomo we took a tram up the hill. I'm not sure if you can drive up there. Once on top of the hill we took a bus which dropped us off in the piazza right in front of the Duomo. read more

Duomo di Orvieto - Side of the Duomo - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Orvieto, TR

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Very beautiful from the outside. Remember long trousers and you might be allowed inside, after you have paid 3 EUR read more

Duomo di Orvieto - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Orvieto, TR

Tremendously beautiful Cathedral, stacked with fresco's on the inside. The richly decorated facade will amaze you. Certainly worth the visit and even a detour. Mind the dresscode in Italian churches. read more

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It's a pretty cool duomo. But remember this one is not free, it's 3 EUR just for the cathedral. read more

Duomo di Orvieto - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Orvieto, TR

When visiting the quaint Orvieto, the duomo is a must- see. Its front facade is an impressive sight; the contrast with the side facades is an interesting design choice. The open square around the church enhances the magnificence of this structure. The surrounding area of artisan shops, gelaterias, and stone-paved-roads-narrow-enough-to-be-alleyways make for a fantastic afternoon stroll. Because of its elevation, the wind could be quite strong, so a hat and scarf would be good choices. read more

Duomo di Orvieto - Side of the duomo - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Orvieto, TR

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The Orvieto Cathedral is a majestic structure marking the first significant location from Rome on our Globus tour. It was a proper climax after riding the fun-fun-fun-funicular up the ancient volcano Orvieto rests upon. The cathedral is effectively the sole reason for the visit--nothing else is recommended (sorry citizens of Orvieto). There's not enough time to do much else save grabbing food and doing a bit of shopping. Visitors are also suggested to avoid the numerous panhandlers begging for money. I would usually offer sympathy except the first one I found hobbling towards me on his ankles was one of the worst imitations of a handicap I've seen since Nicholas Cage in The Wicker Man. I knew someone with polio, and I've seen how sufferers with cerebral palsy walk, and you have neither, you charlatan. This accusation was further sustained by a similar individual two blocks later with the exact same awkward gate. When I returned towards the Cathedral ten minutes later, that first faux-cripple had a cup half-full of euros. People. Are. Suckers. So those reading this can heed my warnings--clamp onto your wallets like a GI Joe with kung-fu grip and open it only when paying for food. It's an unfortunate blight plaguing the region, a fact no one apparently attempts to address, shame given the amazing beauty of the cathedral itself. The photos I took really don't give it justice. It reflects a style of construction unseen in most or Rome. Later spots in Florence would repeat this pattern, some identically. Within the duomo lies an enormous expanse of striped columns rising to an immense ceiling. I'd love to share this experience via images, but like so many churches in Italy, photography is prohibited. Why? Well, there was some nonsensical and unscientific excuse about flash photography damaging paint back in the Sistine Chapel. Here, they didn't even offer that, with only whispers of respect being insisted. But if you think it's a hard rule, just do a search on "Orvieto Cathedral Interior" and bask in the thousands of professional images already taken. Just like the rule that we had to cover our shoulders and knees. I'd like to point out the irony of us needing to be covered so we can enter a church known for its frescoes of naked people. I'm not kidding, there are paintings of naked people in there. There's even one of a demon biting the back of someone's head like grapefruit, shocking given the prudish nature of Catholicism and the censorship of the famous Roman and Greek forms "heroic nudity". Remember, this is Italy, where they love their churches but seldom attend. Oh and the cathedral also houses an old cracker that reportedly once bled. No real mention if the priest had only cut himself and jumped to conclusions, but let's leave that one be. I'm sure that's still enough for Orvieto to mark a national day around it. In fact, this entire magnificent construction is owed to that event. Have to admire that level of fanaticism...well, actually, I can hotly criticize, but the past is the past and at least something beautiful remains as a side effect. Seriously, this thing cannot be properly described. You can zoom your camera to the limit and find details unseen by the naked eye. Given the brief visit, I can't really comment on the rest of Orvieto, except that the parts I saw were amazing. It's a real shame that our tour rationed so little time here. To stop the tour, ride the tram, take a bus, see the church, and only have enough time for lunch surely does a disservice to the rest of the town. If you are lucky enough to visit while not on a tour, I hope the rest was a good as the highlight. read more

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No trip to Europe is complete without visiting many cathedrals and churches. It's worth a stop in Orvieto to see the Duomo, a massive cathedral for a reasonably small town. The front facade is currently under renovation but it doesn't take away from appreciating the size and beauty of this cathedral, which is reminiscent of the Duomo in Firenze. read more