Alba Cathedral

About

Alba Cathedral (Italian: Cattedrale di San Lorenzo; Duomo di Alba) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Alba, province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence. It is the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Alba (otherwise Alba Pompeia). It is a Romanesque building located in the Piazza del Risorgimento, better known as Piazza Duomo ("cathedral plaza"), amidst cobbled streets.

The earliest structure appears to have been built on the site at the end of the 5th century. A subsequent Romanesque structure was built on its ruins. The current structure, built upon the original one, dates to the first half of the 12th century, probably over holy edifices of Roman age, and is of red brick, Between the 12th and 15th centuries the cathedral was reshaped in the form of late Gothic architecture. It was restructured in the 15th century by bishop Andrea Novelli, who arrived in Alba in 1484 to find the cathedral in poor condition. The most important renovation dates to 1652 to repair the damage caused by earthquakes in 1626. After the earthquake, the ceiling of the nave fell. It was restored along with the construction of two side aisles, one dedicated to San Theobald of...