4130652AccessibilitaChurch of Santi Gervasio e Protasio in Città della PieveAccessibilita1
Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio in Città della Pieve
The Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio is located in the heart of the Umbrian city, which developed around a primitive parish church that once stood in this place, from which the name is derived. The parish church, dedicated to the martyr saints Gervasius and Protasius, who are still the city’s patrons today, most likely dates back to the 8th century. The building has undergone several modifications over time: it was completely renovated in the 13th century (from the Gothic construction, the hypogeal area, part of the facade, and the base of the bell tower remain), and again in the 16th century (the floor level was raised, an external staircase was built, and the apse area was rebuilt). In 1584, after the refurbishment work was completed, the church was reconsecrated; its elevation to a collegiate church and later to a cathedral in the year 1600 was followed by further works.
The current Baroque-style structure, with a single nave in the shape of a Latin cross, featuring wide side chapels (three on each side) and a bell tower adjacent to the building, dates back to the period between the 16th and 17th centuries. The truss roof collapsed in 1667 and was replaced with a brick vault in 1679. In 1714, fragments of the bones of the two martyrs arrived in Città della Pieve from Milan, along with a small vial of fluid blood from Naples, traditionally attributed to the two brothers, which has been the object of great devotion by the locals.
The church is rich in works of art from the 16th and 17th centuries. On the counter façade on either side of the organ are frescoes by Annibale Ubertis from the end of the 19th century, with a notable presence of Perugino. On the first altar to the left are the Baptism of Christ, painted around 1510, and the Madonna in Glory between the Patron Saints Gervasius and Protasius, from 1514, located behind the high altar.
Side view of the Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio and bell tower
Front view of the church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio and bell tower
Central nave of the church
Detail of a chandelier
Altar of the apse
Among the various works are the Marriage of the Virgin, by Antonio Circignaniknown as “Il Pomarancio”, dating back to around 1606 (but repainted in the 18th century), as well as the Madonna del Carmine (1528), in the second altar on the left, and a Heavenly Glory.
In the apse, to the left is a painting of the Madonna Enthroned between Saints Francis, Bonaventure and a Servite, the work of Salvio Savini from the late 16th century, together with the Virgin Enthroned with Child, St Dominic and St Catherine of Siena, in the Rosary Chapel.
In the first chapel on the right is a beautiful wooden Crucifix attributed to Giovanni Teutonico (16th century); in the second chapel is a Madonna and Child among Angels and Saints by Domenico Alfani; the third chapel has frescoes by Giacinto Boccanera dating back to the early 18th century. In the presbytery is a Madonna with Saints John the Evangelist, John the Baptist, Peter the Martyr and Blessed Giacomo Villa by Giannicola di Paolo.
Useful information and accessibility
Useful information:
At the Infopoint in Città della Pieve, located at Piazza Matteotti n. 4, you can request all the information needed for your visit to the Cathedral.
Email: info@cittadellapieve.org
Phone: 057 8298840 (Infopoint Città della Pieve)
For guided tours organized by the parish and its volunteers, you can contact 3474912630 (Mrs. Rosalba).
It is possible to visit the liturgical area of the Cathedral and the underlying crypt independently, while it is necessary to contact the above number to visit other parts of the Cathedral, including the Museum.
Entrance is free.
How to reach the property:
The Cathedral is located in the Historic Center, in a limited traffic area. Even on restricted circulation days, it can be reached by car for those with a special permit. A reserved parking space for people with disabilities, equipped with a special permit, is available in front of the main entrance door. The parking area has a 5% slope with a stone slab surface.
Moving around the facility:
The Cathedral has two entrances: the main one, used only for religious functions, and the secondary one, open for visits. The Cathedral's square is elevated above the piazza by six steps. One of the two stairways has a handrail. To overcome the height difference, as an alternative to the steps, you can take a 7-meter-long ramp, inclined at 14%, with a stone slab surface. The entrance used for visits has a small ramp, inclined at 14% and 50 cm long, and features a double wooden door. The first door has a single leaf with a 100 cm opening, while the second, with two leaves, has a passageway of 75 cm with one leaf open. Upon entering through this entrance, on the left is the Perugino Chapel, followed by two more chapels leading to the altar. The latter is elevated by three steps above the nave. On the right side of the altar is the sacristy, not open for visits, and the entrance to the crypt, which can be visited independently. The crypt is at a lower level than the nave and can be reached by a staircase without a handrail. There are approximately 20 steps to reach the crypt, considering that the two rooms are on different levels.
The entrance to the Cathedral Museum is on the piazza, next to the bell tower, located about 28 meters from the parking area. The external path has a 5% slope. The museum entrance door is at the end of a walkway accessed by overcoming a gate with a 12 cm high step and a 71 cm wide opening. The walkway extends for 24 meters, with an 8% slope and a compact brick surface. The museum door has a 5 cm threshold and a 71 cm wide opening. After passing this doorway, there is another 7 cm step to access the two rooms of the museum. The museum has spacious internal passageways.
Use of contents:
Inside the Cathedral of Saints Gervasius and Protasius, there are panels describing Perugino’s work "The Baptism of Christ" in Italian, English, and Braille. There are tactile reproductions of the works for blind and visually impaired visitors. Additionally, with NFC technology and a QR Code, you can access a WebApp. The information here is designed to be accessible to a diverse audience of varying ages, sensory needs, and communication preferences: audio guides for adults and children in Italian and English, video guides in LIS (Italian Sign Language) and IS (International Sign) for adults and children, and descriptions of the work in CAA (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), facilitating communication for people with learning or cognitive difficulties.
Toilet features:
The path to the toilets is accessible for people with disabilities but can only be used by contacting the parish managers beforehand. The bathroom is wheelchair accessible, with the possibility of frontal and diagonal access to the toilet and a side folding handrail.
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