Lucca Cathedral
Unknown medieval workshop; Guidetto da Como · Lucca, Italy · 1204
Lucca Cathedral is a layered Romanesque and Gothic complex whose asymmetrical marble façade responds to the pre-existing bell tower. Stacked arcaded galleries, varied columns and deep shadow create a screen of remarkable texture, while the interior contains a tall nave, sculptural monuments and the revered Volto Santo. Guidetto da Como is associated with the early thirteenth-century façade, but the church itself was founded and rebuilt across a much longer period. The cathedral's urban presence is intensified by the compressed piazza and adjoining sacristy and museum spaces. The listed year refers to the façade campaign rather than completion of the entire building.