Overview
The origins of Tivoli Cathedral are lost in the mists of time. One legend attributes its foundation to Emperor Constantine, immediately after the issuing of the Edict of Milan. Equally legendary is the tradition that assigns its construction to Pope Saint Simplicius, a Tiburtine, who ruled the Church between 468 and 483. The first historically reliable mention of the church dedicated to Saint Lawrence the Martyr is found in the Liber Pontificalis, which states that Pope Leo III (795-816) enriched it with precious gifts.
The present façade of the cathedral was built in 1650, with the addition of a three-arched portico. The narthex contains a 16th century fresco depicting the Madonna of Mercy. Next to the façade stands the bell tower, almost 47 metres high, the only remaining vestige of the earlier Romanesque cathedral.
The interior of the cathedral consists of a single nave, flanked by four chapels on each side, intercommunicating with each other. On the left side, one of these chapels serves as a side entrance, while another gives access to the atrium of the sacristy. The nave is separated from the chapels by pillars incorporating ancient columns with Corinthian capitals belonging to the original Romanesque structure. The barrel vault, enriched by windows opening into lunettes, is decorated with three large panels depicting Religion, Saint Lawrence Martyr and Faith. The apse wall depicts Tiburtine saints: Pope Simplicius and the martyrs Generoso, Sinforosa and Getulio. Also depicted in the sails above the nave windows are the twelve apostles within medallions.
Contrary to what is often believed, the decoration of the nave and apse is not the work of Carlo Labruzzi, but was carried out in 1816 by Angelo De Angelis, a little-known Roman painter who is also remembered for having frescoed the Pauline Chapel in the Quirinal Palace in 1818. The high altar, dated 1704, is a masterpiece of polychrome marble, embellished with cherubs and putti. Behind it, in the centre of the apsidal curve, is a painting by Pietro Labruzzi (1739-1805) depicting St. Lawrence before the judge before his martyrdom.
Enrich your visit Cathedral of Saint Lawrence by participating in the experience of Villae Pass: Entry Ticket.
