The basilica of San Petronio, was begun in the late 14th c. in the Gothic style.
The church dominates the South side of Pza. Maggiore. Its plan is adopted, (as were many Christian churches), from
the old Roman basilica floor plan, with a central nave and side aisles.
Interior Gothic rib vaulting shows Northern European influences.
The church is thought to be the 5th largest church in Christendom.
Money ran out before the exterior decoration was completed, and the marbles on the upper facade shown here were never installed. The exterior is now under restoration.
Jacapo della Quercia, a Sienese sculptor, made the relief sculptures surrounding the central doorway with subjects from the Old Testament.
His nudes of Adam and Eve were studied by Michelangelo when he fled to Bologna after his Medici patrons were expelled from FLorence in 1494.
Della Quercia's figures were an inspiration for Michelangelo's "Expulsion" fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
The interior of the basilica is notable for its terracotta coloring, an unusual decorative element not seen in other churches of its era.
The floor of the nave contains a unique "sundial" which records the day of the year, illuminated by sunlight coming through a hole in the roof.
Photos were not permitted inside San Petronio.
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