The Cathedral of St. Vigilius in Trento was built on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the city’s patron saint. Bishop Uldaric II began construction in the 11th century; it was then almost entirely demolished in 1212 to make room for a new Romanesque-Lombard style cathedral commissioned by Federico Vanga, one of the bishops who most contributed to the urban-artistic development of the city. The bishop entrusted the project to local workers led by Adamo d'Arogno.
At the end of the 13th century the northern transept was adorned with an allegorical rose window known as the "wheel of fortune". In the 14th century, extensions were made and Gothic elements were added. Giuseppe Alberti built the Baroque Chapel of the Crucifix in 1628, which houses a wooden sculptural group, at whose feet the decrees of the Council of Trent (1545-1563) were promulgated; the Council was held in the severe presbytery of the cathedral, on a special mobile wooden structure built above the underground crypt.
The Cathedral’s Medieval features include the rose window in the façade overlooking the main square, and the Cathedral’s apse has an unexpected treasure trove of shapes and decorations. Unusual additions are the two interior side staircases, carved into the walls that reach up to the bell towers at the top of the façade.
Trentino Film Commission
Via Giovanni Zanella 10/2 — 38122 Trento
Phone: +39 0461 49 3501/3508
Fax: +39 0461 495460
Email: filmcommission@provincia.tn.it
