The Renovation of Northern Italian Cathedrals Between the 11th and 12th Centuries: The State of Current Research and Unanswered Questions

The article examines the current state of the research on a selected number of north italian cathedrals which have been investigated in recent years. In particular, the cathedral of Modena has been the subject of many specialized studies because of the large amount of documentary evidence, including the the names of the architect and main sculptor and then other artists who worked between XII and XIII century. For this building are here indicated the relations with the stratification of older buildings and the urban planning of the medieval city, in addition to some architectural features, such as the inspiration to the classical antiquity. Furthermore, some aspects of other cathedrals in Emilia Romagna, such as Ferrara, Parma and Reggio Emilia are examined on the basis of recent studies and some new findings (i. e. Reggio Emilia). The building site of the Cathedral of Cremona is then examined in relation to that of Piacenza. Finally are discussed the cases of cathedrals (Vercelli, Pavia, Bergamo) who have retained most of their pre-Romanesque structure, and have been subject to only a few updates. The article ends with some comments on the prospects that can be expected from the application of a multidisciplinary study of such special architectural complexes as the cathedrals.