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22-405: Since the 5th century, two churches had existed on the site of the present cathedral: the discovery of the burial site of Saint Geminianus , Modena's patron saint, led to the destruction of those churches and building of this cathedral by 1099. The initial design and direction was provided by an architect known as Lanfranco , about whom little else is known. The Saint's remains are still exhibited in

44-573: A hippocamp . The archivolt carving, dubbed the "Modena Archivolt" in Arthurian circles, includes inscriptions identifying the figures as Arthurian characters and sets them in a scene which has various correspondences in Arthurian literature. It is possibly the earliest monumental sculpture to feature the Arthurian legend. The sculptor has been dubbed the "Arthur Master", and critics note that while his inspiration outshines his skill he faithfully captures realistic details in architecture and dress. The date of

66-518: Is by Arrigo da Campione , decorated with small terracotta statues. Notable also the wood crucifix from the 14th century. The Duomo houses also the nativity scenes by two great Modenese artistis: Antonio Begarelli 's one (1527) and, in the crypt, Guido Mazzoni 's one (1480), also known as the Madonna della Pappa ("Madonna of the Pap"). The Torre della Ghirlandina is annexed to the church. The funeral of

88-540: Is mostly lost but is mentioned in Thomas of Britain 's Tristan and survives, in greatly manipulated form, in other romances, the most important of which is Yder . One such romance, Durmart le Galois , includes a scene in which Ydier participates in a rescue of Guinevere, and rides unarmed, as Isdernus does on the Modena Archivolt. The knight Galvagin, the only one with a decorated shield, likely corresponds to Gawain,

110-560: Is the porta della pescheria (fish market portal), with reliefs inspired by the cycle of the twelve months on the doorposts, and tales from the Breton Cycle of King Arthur on the archivolt . The interior is divided into three naves . Between the central nave and the crypt is a marble parapet by Anselmo da Campione portraying the Passion of Christ , including the Last Supper . The pulpit

132-619: Is typically depicted as a bishop holding a model of the town of Modena; a man calming a storm at sea; or a man exorcising the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Jovian . The saint is also venerated in Tuscany , especially in the eponymous town of San Gimignano , and in Pontremoli . A Church of St Geminianus opposite St Mark's Basilica , in Venice's Piazza San Marco , was demolished in 1807 as part of

154-582: The "Che" and "Galvariun" who approach Gawain on the Modena Archivolt. Loomis argued that the Archivolt scene corresponds to the Vulgate version of Guinevere's abduction, and that in an early version Gawain may have been the rescuer rather than Lancelot. Others have argued that the Modena image depicts the lost romance of Yder, or else the early stock version in which Arthur himself was the rescuer. Some others have argued that

176-482: The Summer Country and taken to Glastonbury ; Arthur only recovers her with the help of Saint Gildas . Later versions call the kidnapper Meleagant and name the queen's lover Lancelot , rather than Arthur himself, as her rescuer. Interesting in the context of the Modena Archivolt is the shadowy early tradition in which the character known as Yder, Ider, or some variant was the queen's lover and rescuer. This tradition

198-559: The caste of Roman senators . Nothing more is directly known about him, and all information regarding his life comes from much later biographies. It is said that when Saint Athanasius was entering exile in France, he passed through Modena and was received kindly by Geminianus. Saint John Chrysostom later received the same hospitality. Saint Geminianus opposed Arianism and Jovinianism . He probably died on 31 January 397. Traces of his veneration have always been present in Modena. As early as

220-496: The cathedral's crypt . The present cathedral was consecrated by Pope Lucius III on July 12, 1184. This is also the place where Modena kept Bologna's Bucket from the War of the Bucket . After Lanfranco's work, the cathedral was embellished by Anselmo da Campione and his heirs, the so-called "Campionese-masters". The current façade therefore exhibits different styles. The majestic rose-window

242-644: The center of the Modena Archivolt image is a castle defended by two towers, inside of which are two figures identified as "Mardoc" and "Winlogee". The left tower is defended by a pickaxe-wielding man named "Burmaltus", who faces off against Artus de Bretania (King Arthur), Isdernus (most likely Yder ), and another unnamed knight, who all bear their lances against him. On the other side, the knight "Carrado" spars with "Galvagin" (probably Gawain ), while "Che" ( Kay ) and "Galvariun" (perhaps Galeshin) approach with their lances at their shoulders. "Winlogee" most likely corresponds to Arthur's wife, Guinevere . Loomis suggested

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264-448: The fifth century a church had been erected over his tomb, contiguous with the present cathedral and outside the center of the original Roman town. In the early Middle Ages , moreover, Modena is often mentioned as Civitas Geminiana . The Relatio translationis S. Giminiani , a manuscript of the twelfth century, describes the translation and recognition of the body of Saint Geminianus on 30 April 1106 and 7 October 1106, respectively, in

286-557: The hero of many romances. Gawain fights with a knight named Carados of the Dolorous Tower in the Vulgate Cycle (Lancelot-Grail) and Thomas Malory 's Le Morte d'Arthur , based on the Vulgate. Further correspondences with material in the Vulgate also occur: notably, the Vulgate includes a scene in which Arthur, his nephew Galeshin, and his seneshal Kay attack Carados of the Dolorous Tower; the names of Arthur's companions are similar to

308-465: The image is not of Arthurian origin at all, though this is minority opinion. Saint Geminianus Saint Geminianus (also known as Saint Geminian , or Saint Gimignano ) was a fourth-century deacon who became Bishop of Modena . He is mentioned in the year 390, when he participated in a council called by Saint Ambrose in Milan . From his name, it has been deduced that Geminianus probably belonged to

330-456: The late famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti , a native of Modena, was held in the cathedral. The cathedral's north portal, known as the Porta della Pescheria, features high relief carvings of secular scenes on the marble archivolt and lintel . The carvings on the archivolt are notable for depicting a very early Arthurian scene. The lintel carvings include a cross , birds, animals, and a man riding

352-602: The names derived from Breton ; "Winlogee" is similar to the Breton name Wenlowen, and Guinevere's name is rendered as the related Gwendoloena in the Latin romance De Ortu Waluuanii . The Abduction of Guinevere is a very popular and ancient element of the Arthurian legend, first appearing in written form in Caradoc of Llancarfan 's mid-12th-century Life of Gildas . This version describes Arthur's queen as being kidnapped by King Melwas of

374-418: The piece and the artist's source have been debated vigorously. Roger Sherman Loomis argued for a date at the beginning of the 12th century, which would place the carving decades earlier than the earliest written Arthurian romances on the continent. However, other evidence points to a date no earlier than 1120, and the later work of Jacques Stiennon and Rita Lejeune suggests a date between 1120 and 1140. At

396-455: The presence of Paschal II , Matilde di Canossa , and all of the Modenesi . A second recognition of the relics was made by Lucius III , on 12 July 1184, while on his way to Verona . The people of Modena believe his miraculous intercession saved them from the invading Huns , when he conjured up dense fog that hid the city. Geminianus rarely appears in art outside of Modena, but when shown

418-539: The reorganisation of the west side of the square during the Napoleonic era. Jacques Stiennon Jacques Stiennon (1 May 1920 – 5 May 2012) was a Belgian medievalist who worked as a librarian and a professor of history at the University of Liège . His main research interests were in the history of the principality of Liège and of Wallonia , especially with regard to monastic history, art and archaeology. Stiennon

440-460: The splendid achievements in the creation of Adam and Eve , the original sin and the story of Noah . The side portals are also noteworthy. On the Piazza Grande, the porta regia di piazza (piazza portal), also by the campionesi, and the porta dei principi (princes' portal), decorated with a relief depicting episodes of the life of Saint Geminianus, by a pupil of Wiligelmus. On the northern side

462-476: Was added by Anselmo in the 13th century, while the two lions supporting the entrance's columns date to Roman times, probably discovered while digging the foundations. The façade also has notable reliefs by Wiligelmus , a contemporary of Lanfranco; these include portraits of prophets and patriarchs , and most of all the Biblical Stories , a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture. The scholars have pointed out

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484-521: Was born in Liège on 1 May 1920. He obtained a doctorate in history from Liège University in 1948, while working as a university librarian (1945–1965). He was one of the organisers of the Congrès culturel wallon (Walloon cultural congress) of October 1955. In 1965 he was appointed to a professorship in the university. In 1972 he started the university's first course in codicology . He was particularly influential in

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