About the Co-Cathedral of Saint Catherine in Bertinoro, Italy:
The Co-Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Mary of the Angels, is the Cathedral of Bertinoro.
The first place of worship dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria here in Bertinoro consisted of a small oratory , of which there is evidence as early as 1342. This oratory was elevated to the dignity of cathedral in the mid- fourteenth century. On 19 December 1365, Bishop Robert of Bretteville held the first ordination in the church.
The structure exemplifies Bramantesque architecture—a Renaissance style inspired by Donato Bramante—with construction spanning the late 16th to early 17th centuries. Over time, as diocesan boundaries evolved, it transitioned from a full cathedral to a co-cathedral in 1986 with the merger into the Forlì-Bertinoro diocese. Today, it remains a focal point for local worship and cultural heritage.
On September 6, 1489, Bishop Giuliano Maffei requested the bishop of Sarsina , Antonio Monaldi, to reconsecrate the church. The altars are dedicated to Saint Catherine (the main altar), the Holy Trinity, Saint Onuphrius, and Saint John the Baptist.
In 1580 the bishop Giovanni Andrea Caligari had the old oratory demolished, as it was considered too small, and commissioned the works for a new cathedral in Bramante style , the works of which continued until 1601. In 1604 the bell tower was completed.
In 1619 the church was reconsecrated and enriched with precious furnishings. In 1870, the bell tower’s spire, rendered unstable by several earthquakes, had to be demolished, and the bell chamber was enclosed with a gabled structure. In 1890, the entire complex was restored and wall decorations were added, while in 1902 , the bell tower’s roof was redone.
The damages of the Second World War , not too extensive, were repaired in 1947 , while other restoration interventions date back to 1993 , 2014 and 2017.
The church is made of exposed brick. The façade, invisible from the square, but partially visible by climbing a staircase on the left, is a pointed façade. The lower section, under the portico, has been plastered. There are three portals with wooden doors and stone frames. Access is via a flight of steps. The side elevation is elevated on a high step and is decorated with Doric pilasters.
The interior is divided into three naves by large pillars and features a transept at the end. The central nave is 14 meters high and 32 meters long. The presbytery has a semicircular apse with a raised presbytery. Inside, there is a wooden choir and a canvas depicting the Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine by Giuseppe Marchetti (1765) in the center and, on the sides, The Resurrection of Saint Lazarus (right) and the Probatica Piscina (left), eighteenth-century works by unknown artists.
The transept has decorations on the ceiling by Lucio Rossi from 1891 representing the Evangelists , while the left arm contains a wooden crucifix from the 16th century. According to tradition, the creator of this work was a pilgrim who, having taken refuge in a monastery , after three days of retreat found on his departure a crucifix made from a fig tree in the building’s garden.
The right arm contains the altar of the Immaculate Conception .
On the sides are the altars, of which in the third chapel on the left is the Madonna and Child with the apostles Peter and Paul painted by Francesco Longhi ( 1601 ).
The floor dates back to 19th-century restorations. On the counter-façade is an 18th-century organ from Senigallia Cathedral.
Under the church there is a crypt , which can be accessed from the outside.
The position of the complex is not very functional, because it is directly adjacent to the Town Hall, so much so that the facade is not visible from the square and the entrance is located at the end of the portico of the building. This is because the church stands on the site where the previous oratory originally stood, which however was smaller and therefore not attached to the building: in fact, there was a plan to demolish the building due to its precarious stability and thus leave the new cathedral clearly visible with its imposing dimensions. However, in the end it was decided to conserve the building.
Traveling to Cathedral of Saint Catherine in Bertinoro, Italy:
Address: Piazza della Libertà, 2B, 47032 Bertinoro FC, Italy